The Meghalaya Legislative Assembly witnessed a heated exchange on the issue of Inner Line Permit (ILP), as Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma locked horns with Leader of Opposition Mukul Sangma and VPP MLA Ardent Basaiawmoit. Replying to a question raised by Sohiong MLA Synsharkupar Roy Lyngdoh Thabah, the Chief Minister informed the House that the state government is in talks with the Government of India to bring Meghalaya under the purview of the Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025, while continuing to pursue the demand for ILP.
The debate intensified when Dr Mukul questioned whether the government intended to abandon its pursuit of ILP to which the CM said it is easy talk on OLP without understanding the complexities associated with ILP As the Chief Minister responded, interruptions led to raised voices in the House.Dr Mukul further asked why the Meghalaya Residents Safety and Security Act (MRSSA), 2016, was not being effectively implemented.
The Chief Minister replied that the Act faces challenges in establishing formal entry and exit points, as these are not explicitly provided in the parent legislation. The exchange grew sharper after Nongkrem MLA Ardent Basaiawmoit questioned whether the government was playing with public sentiment on ILP. In response, the Chief Minister countered by asking how many MLAs had personally met Prime Minister Narendra Modi or Union Home Minister Amit Shah to press for ILP implementation.