Inner Line Permit (ILP) system

News: Recently, the Manipur government began reviewing the ILP system due to violations, emphasizing the need for stricter enforcement.

About Inner Line Permit (ILP)

• It is an official travel document issued by the concerned state government to allow inward travel of an Indian citizen into a protected area for a limited period.
• It is obligatory for Indian citizens from outside those states to obtain a permit for entering into a protected state.
• NRIs (Indians who are staying abroad for more than 6 months), PIO Card holders, and OCI holders are not eligible for Inner Line Permit.
• Origin– Under the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation Act of 1873, the British imposed rules to restrict the entry and stay of outsiders in certain areas to protect the Crown’s interests.
• Current governing Law: Currently regulated under the Foreigners (Protected Areas) Order, 1958 for foreign tourists and state-specific ILP guidelines for Indian citizens.
• States under ILP: Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Mizoram, and Manipur.
• The inner line permit for the foreign tourist is called the Protected Area Permit (PAP), which is different from the inner line permit for domestic tourists.
  

  Protected and Restricted Areas Under the Foreigners (Protected Areas) Order of 1958, areas between the ‘Inner Line’ and the ‘International Border of the State’ are designated as “Protected Areas,” while areas between the ‘Inner Line’ and the ‘Territory occupied by indigenous tribes’ are classified as “Restricted Areas.” Currently, Protected Areas are located in the following States: a. Whole of Arunachal Pradesh b. Parts of Himachal Pradesh c. Parts of Jammu & Kashmir d. Whole of Manipur e. Whole of Mizoram f. Whole of Nagaland g. Parts of Rajasthan h. Whole of Sikkim (partly in Protected Area and partly in Restricted Area) i. Parts of Uttarakhand Under the Foreigners (Restricted Areas) Order, 1963, Andaman & Nicobar Islands (Entire UT) and Sikkim (Part of the State) are included as ‘Restricted’ Areas.