20,000 arrested in Mizoram in five years for entering state without ILP

Aizawl, Feb. 25 (PTI): Mizoram Home Minister Lalchamliana informed the Assembly on Tuesday that over 20,000 people have been arrested between 2015 and January this year for illegally entering the state without Inner Line Permits. ILP is an official travel document visitors need to procure for entering and staying for a certain period in several states of the Northeast, including Mizoram.

Replying to a written question by Independent MLA Andrew H Thangliana, Lalchamliana said more than 5.53 lakh ILPs were issued during the period. Of the 20,765 people who were arrested during the period for entering Mizoram without ILPs, 19,220 were sent back to their respective states, he said.

Lalchamliana said efforts are on to fully shift to the online system for issuance of ILPs. The Mizoram government had launched an online portal for issuing ILP in December last year.

The state government had also rolled out ‘ILP Mizoram’ mobile app for NGOs and the public and ‘ILP Enforcer’ app for the police. From now on, temporary and regular ILPs can be applied only online at ilp.mizoram.gov.in portal and sponsors will have to furnish their EPIC numbers, officials said.

Sponsors in the ILP system refer to local residents who act as guarantors for the visitors.

The system will put a check on the number of ILPs issued to visitors to Mizoram and sponsors will have to ensure that the visitors return to their respective states after completion of their work, they added.