Sikkim: First public hearing on Inner Line Permit held in Gangtok, SDF supports the decision

The first round of public hearings on the Inner Line Permit (ILP) in Sikkim commenced today at Chintan Bhawan. The state government had constituted a committee to oversee the applicability of the ILP in the state, which had received numerous representations from various individuals and associations. The committee invited the views and opinions of the public and stakeholders on the necessity and desirability of the ILP in Sikkim.

Speaking to Northeastlive, the Sikkim Democratic Front's (SDF) spokesperson, Bandana Sharma, stated that the party supports the decision to issue an Inner Line Permit in the state. The ILP is a document that allows Indian citizens from other states to visit or reside in states where the permit is applicable. The ILP system is prevalent in Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, and Mizoram, and its implementation in Sikkim has been a long-standing demand.

To ensure greater clarity and understanding of the intricacies of the ILP and its pros and cons, the first round of public hearings is being held at Chintan Bhawan. Associations and organizations who made their representations and desire to be heard in person have been requested to attend the public hearing. However, due to space constraints, each association/organization has been asked to restrict participation to only five members and email the list of participants to the state government in advance.

The second meeting of the committee on Inner Line Permit (ILP) was held on February 14, chaired by Santa Pradhan, retired secretary and chairman of the Inner Line Permit Committee. On February 11, the government of Sikkim had reiterated the constitution of the committee overseeing the applicability of the Inner Line Permit (ILP) in Sikkim and invited all associations, political parties, individuals, and stakeholders to submit their views and comments on the probable problems and their solutions pertaining to the implementation of the ILP.