A pro-Inner Line Permit (ILP) organisation in Meghalaya has called on the state government to strengthen monitoring and verification at all official entry points, citing concerns over a suspected rise in the movement of people from West Bengal and Assam during the ongoing revision of electoral rolls in both states.
In a statement issued on Monday, Hynniewtrep Youth Council (HYC) president Roy Kupar Synrem said the group is alarmed by what it described as “unregulated entry” of individuals into Meghalaya. Synrem warned that the situation could impact internal security, public safety and the legal rights of indigenous residents if immediate action is not taken.
He argued that the state government has the legal authority to regulate movement and introduce verification protocols, adding that delay or lack of response may amount to administrative negligence. The organisation has urged the government to issue an official notification specifying enforcement mechanisms and legal provisions to regulate entry until proper verification is completed.
As part of its demands, the HYC called for mandatory identity checks and registration of all entrants from areas undergoing special electoral revision, deployment of police and district personnel with enforcement powers at major entry routes, and activation of emergency coordination systems involving deputy commissioners, border management officials and district police.
The group further stressed the need for cross-border coordination between Meghalaya, West Bengal and Assam to prevent undocumented movement. While West Bengal is carrying out a special intensive revision, Assam is presently conducting a special revision process.
Recent records indicate that 46 Bangladeshi nationals were apprehended this year for illegally entering Meghalaya. Calling the situation “a matter of serious public safety and legal obligation,” the HYC reiterated that the government must respond “firmly, immediately and strictly within the legal framework.”
