Naga Students’ Federation calls for stricter ILP enforcement

The Naga Students’ Federation (NSF) is organizing a national seminar on August 28 and 29 at the Dimapur Town Hall to discuss the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation (BEFR), 1873, and the implementation of the Inner Line Permit (ILP) system in Nagaland.

NSF leadership has called for a centralized and dedicated authority to enforce the ILP, arguing that current fragmented and “piece-meal” enforcement has created loopholes. The NSF’s Inner Line Regulation Commission (ILRC) claims that lax enforcement has allowed economic control to shift away from the indigenous population. They suggest that strict implementation of the ILP would serve as an “economic life jacket” for the Naga people.

The seminar will feature legal experts, academics, and Supreme Court advocates, including Prashant Bhushan and Shomona Khanna, to examine the constitutional dimensions and relevance of the colonial-era regulation. The NSF noted that while they have submitted representations to the state government regarding these issues, they have yet to receive a response.