The Supreme Court on Wednesday granted eight weeks
to the Manipur government to respond to a plea challenging the system of Inner
Line Permit (ILP) in the state.
Manipur is the fourth state after Arunachal Pradesh,
Nagaland and Mizoram where the ILP regime is applicable. To visit ILP-regime
states, outsiders, including people from other states of the country, need
permission.
A bench of justices Hrishikesh Roy and SVN Bhatti
gave time to Manipur after the counsel for the state government sought time.
The top court on January 3, 2022 had issued notices
to the Centre and the Manipur government and others on a plea filed by an
organisation called 'Amra Bangalee'.
The plea contended that the ILP provides
unrestrained power to the state to restrict entry and exit of non-indigenous
people 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 organisation said.
The plea has also challenged the Manipur Inner Line
Permit Guidelines, 2019.
It stated that the 2019 order violates fundamental
rights of citizens guaranteed under Articles 14, 15, 19 and 21 of the
Constitution since it grants unqualified power to the state to restrict entry
and exit of non-indigenous people.