Nagaland Tribes Council iterates December 1, 1963 as cut-off date for ILP

Dimapur: The Nagaland Tribes Council (NTC) has iterated that December 1, 1963 should be the cut-off date and year for implementation of the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation Act 1873 vis-à-vis Inner Line Permit (ILP), in the entire state.

The council, in a representation to the chief minister, reminded that Nagaland state was created out of political agreement with the 16-Point Agreement of 1960 in place, which stated “Rules embodied in the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation Act 1873, shall remain in force in Nagaland.”

“This Constitutional status provision is enumerated and well documented for enforcement right from the day and time of the creation of the State of Nagaland including Dimapur areas, now bifurcated into Dimapur, Chümoukedima and Niuland districts,” read the representation.

Besides the constitutional provision, NTC also pointed out that there is a standing government notification issued on April 28, 1977 to qualify as an “indigenous inhabitant” of Nagaland.

As per the notification, in order to qualify as an “indigenous inhabitant” of the state for the purpose of employment, a person should have settled permanently in Nagaland prior to 1-12-1963; his/her name or name of parents or legitimate guardians, in case the person was then a minor, should have been entered in the electoral roll published on 5-12-1963; and pay house tax or acquired property and patta prior to 1-12-1963.

Stating that the mentioned agreement and notification was not extended to Dimapur areas then for the best reason known to the authority alone, it said “de-reservation of ILP in Dimapur areas in the initial stage had become the anti-thesis of the policy of reservation”.

The NTC further said that the government is determined to enforce two cut-off dates and years: December 1, 1963 for the hill districts of Nagaland, and another November 21, 1979 for the plain sectors of Dimapur, Chümoukedima and Niuland districts.

Maintaining that Nagaland itself is a tribal state and tribal area, it said there is no need for another ‘Tribal belt’.

“That enforcement of BEFR Act 1873/ILP with effect from the creation of the state of Nagaland on the basis of necessary agreement and Notification as that of 1st December 1963 does not necessarily prohibits the genuine citizens for a business activities or stay or trips in the state as what the people of Nagaland does in other states of the country. There are always mechanism/modalities to welcome them,” NTC stated.

The council also impressed upon the chief minister to take up the issue on top priority basis and enforce December 1, 1963 as cut-off date and year in the entire jurisdiction of Nagaland.