Meghalaya CM Conrad Sangma bats for extension of Inner Line Permit

Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma has pitched for an extension of the Inner Line Permit (ILP) to his state to prevent a possible "spillover" of foreign migrants if the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) is implemented, even as he said their concerns over the law have been addressed.

In an interview with PTI last week, the Meghalaya chief minister said their concerns on the citizenship law have been addressed. However, if the Act is implemented, the state needs ILP or a similar system in place to check any possible "spillover" from other areas of the Northeast, he said.

Asked about CAA, which has faced opposition in the state that shares over 400 km of border with Bangladesh, Sangma said their concerns have been addressed as it excludes Sixth Schedule areas as a result of which most of the areas in Meghalaya are exempted.

Also Read: Meghalaya's concerns over CAA addressed, ILP should be extended: Conrad Sangma

Asked about the CAA, which has faced opposition in the state that shares more than 400 km-long border with Bangladesh, Sangma said their concerns have been addressed as it excludes Schedule 6 areas.

"When the CAA had come out in the first draft, there was no provision of exemption for any state. After we raised the concern, we met the home minister, we met other leaders, then there was a revisit in the entire draft and they came up with a provision where Meghalaya and other areas with sixth schedule and ILP were exempted," Sangma said.

"In every area in Meghalaya, except a few square metres in Shillong... small area which we call European ward, is the only area which is a non-schedule area. The majority of the state is a scheduled area. Once an exemption is there, we don't have any concerns. So our concerns have been addressed," Sangma said.