Supreme Court seeks response from Centre, State on plea challenging Manipur's Inner Line Permit system

The Supreme Court of India on Monday sought the response of the Central government and State of Manipur on a plea challenging the system of Inner Line Permit (ILP) in Manipur [Amra Bangalee vs Union of India]..The plea by an organisation Amra Bangalee challenged the permit system contending that it provides unbridled power to the State to restrict entry and exit of non-indigenous persons or those who are not permanent residents of Manipur. "The draconian ILP system is fundamentally opposed to the policies of social integration, development and technological advancement in the area beyond the Inner Line, apart from hampering tourism within the state, which is a major source of revenue generation for these areas," the petition said.A Bench of Justices Abdul Nazeer and Krishna Murari issued notice in the matter and posted it for hearing after four weeks.The permit system was introduced by way of the Adaptation of Laws (Amendment) Order, 2019 (2019 order) which extends 140-year-old "colonial legislation" Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulations, 1873 (BEFR).The BEFR was enacted by the British to to create monopoly over the tea plantations in Assam (then part of Bengal) and to protect its commercial interests in the hilly areas from Indians, the plea said. The BEFR prohibits Indians from engaging in trade with the tribal populace in the areas contained in the preamble of the BEFR.By virtue of the 2019 order, the ILP system has effectively been made applicable to the States of Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Mizoram and districts of Nagaland which are notified from time to time. "The effect of ILP system in the State of Manipur is that no person who is not a resident of the said State is permitted to enter the State or engage in business there without applying for a special permit known as "Inner Line Permit," the petition said.By way of the adaptation order, the law continues till today in the "guise" of protecting the interests of tribal areas, it was submitted..The petitioner filed through Advocate Fuzail Ahmed Ayyubi also challenged the Manipur Inner Line Permit Guidelines, 2019. The plea stated that the 2019 order violates fundamental rights of citizens guaranteed under Articles 14, 15, 19 and 21 of the Indian Constitution since it grants unqualified power to the State for restricting the entry and exit of non-indigenous persons.