Govt sends MRSSA ordinance to governor for approval

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaNovember 12, 2019

SHILLONG: The Meghalaya Democratic Alliance government on Tuesday sent the Meghalaya Residents Safety and Security Amendment Ordinance, 2019 to the Governor Tathagata Roy for his assent.

In a bid to protect the interest the tribal citizens, the state cabinet had on November 1, approved the amendment to the Meghalaya Residents, Safety and Security Act (MRSSA), 2016 seeking mandatory registration of outsiders for entering the state.

“We have today sent the ordinance to the Governor for his approval,” deputy chief minister Prestone Tynsong told reporters here.

He said the ordinance is yet to be implemented in the state as the government is still waiting for the governor’s approval.

Tynsong also informed that the state government will also have to redraft the rules for implementing the ordinance. “We hope that we will be able to amend the rules at the earliest,” he said.

According to him, the ordinance will be regularized in the next session of the state Assembly.

Asked, the deputy chief minister said that the amendment is not like the Inner Line Permit (ILP) but is aimed at making registration mandatory for non-residents while entering the state.

“Any person who is not a resident of Meghalaya and intend to stay more than 24 hours in the state will have to furnish information to the government. This is done for their (outsiders) own interest and safety,” he said.

Tynsong further said that the rules will also be circulated to hotels, guest houses and home stays to ensure people visiting the state are registered with the government.

Maintaining that the ordinance is not to restrict people from entering the state, he said people who intend to visit the state as tourists or for other purposes should come with the knowledge of the government.

“We are making things very simple by having both online and offline process of registration,” he added.