Pro-ILP body seeks tighter checks at Meghalaya entry points amid fears of influx

A pro-Inner Line Permit (ILP) organisation in Meghalaya urged the state government to intensify regulatory checks at all entry points, expressing concern over the alleged influx of people reportedly moving out of West Bengal and Assam during the ongoing revision of electoral rolls in those states.

In a statement, Hynniewtrep Youth Council (HYC) president Roy Kupar Synrem said the organisation is “deeply concerned about the unregulated movement of individuals into the state,” warning that such inflows could pose risks to public safety, internal security and the legal rights of Meghalaya’s residents. He stressed that the situation calls for “urgent and firm intervention” from the authorities.

Synrem said the Meghalaya government is legally empowered to regulate entry and enforce verification measures, and cautioned that any delay or inaction may amount to administrative failure. The organisation demanded the use of legal provisions to regulate or temporarily restrict entry until thorough verification and risk assessment can be completed.

The HYC’s demands include mandatory registration and identity verification of all individuals entering from areas affected by the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, deployment of police personnel and district officials at major entry gates with full enforcement authority, and activation of emergency coordination mechanisms involving deputy commissioners, superintendents of police and border management units. It also called for a formal government notification outlining the legal framework and administrative steps being taken.

The group further emphasised the need for interstate coordination with West Bengal and Assam to prevent undocumented movement across borders. While West Bengal is conducting a special intensive revision, the Election Commission is carrying out a special revision in Assam.

According to recent records, 46 Bangladeshi nationals have been apprehended in Meghalaya for illegal entry in 2025. Calling the situation “a serious issue of public safety and legal responsibility,” the HYC said the government must act “swiftly, decisively and strictly within the law.”