Outgoing Chief Executive Member (CEM) of the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) H.S. Shylla on Friday informed that a writ petition filed by the Council in Supreme Court challenging the state government’s stand on the Inner Line Permit (ILP) has been admitted.
“We are waiting for the decision of Apex court on the matter,” he said.
Shylla said that the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation, 1873 is one among many laws listed under the erstwhile United Khasi-Jaiñtia Hills District (Application of Laws) Regulation, 1952, and the Supreme Court in its ruling also clearly stated that the law still continues to operate.
The petition was filed after the District Council Affairs (DCA) department of the state government in its letter on February 4, had declared that “the KHAD (As adapted from the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation, 1873) Regulation, 2018 passed by the District Council was outside the legislative competency of District Council as it does not fall under any of the law making powers as provided under the Sixth Schedule to the Constitution of India.”
Shylla while reiterating the need to implement the ILP system to check influx and illegal immigration said, “I understand that the Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB) relates to religious sentiment, but here in our state, we need ILP to protect the microscopic indigenous population from inter-state influx.”
Shylla recalled that after he took over as the CEM seven months ago, the Council was able to pass various important Bills which include the Khasi Social Custom of Lineage Bill to prevent mixed marriage between tribal women and non-tribals, the Clan Bill among others in order to protect the indigenous people.
