Aizawl: The Mizo Zirlai Pawl (MZP), Mizoram’s apex student body, has expressed serious concern over a growing influx of non-tribal people into the state and the apparent circumvention of the Inner Line Permit (ILP) system. The organisation has urged the state government to strengthen existing mechanisms to ensure stricter adherence to ILP regulations.
During a press conference in Aizawl on Monday, MZP President C. Lalremruata said recent monitoring revealed a critical gap in enforcement. An increasing number of non-locals, he noted, are entering the state under “self-sponsorship” or through sponsorship by other non-local entities, bypassing the traditional requirement for endorsement by indigenous permanent residents.
A verification drive conducted on Saturday in coordination with the College Students’ Union of Aizawl led to the apprehension of 90 individuals residing or working in the state without valid permits. The individuals were handed over to the state police for formal legal proceedings.
Lalremruata pointed out a shift in the movement patterns of non-locals, noting that many are now using motorcycles, predominantly registered in Assam, to bypass pedestrian checkpoints. He added that the extension of the rail network to Sairang has contributed to a significant rise in unregulated migration, resulting in what the MZP described as “unprecedented and unmonitored movement” of non-tribal populations.
The MZP has called on the state government to close existing regulatory loopholes and revoke notifications issued in 2016 and 2017, which currently allow non-tribal trade licence holders to sponsor themselves and up to five subordinate managers or workers. The student body maintains that these provisions compromise the integrity of the ILP system and threaten the demographic stability of the Mizo community.
Among other recommendations, the MZP proposed the adoption of an Aadhaar-linked online application platform with OTP verification, a statutory cap of 10 non-local sponsorships per local resident, and higher fines for permit violations or overstaying, ranging from Rs 50,000 to Rs 1,00,000, following the Manipur model. The organisation also suggested deploying additional security personnel at checkpoints and imposing a one- to two-year ban on non-locals previously deported for permit violations.
The MZP appealed to local citizens to prioritise community security over individual economic gain and urged village and local councils to maintain strict vigilance within their jurisdictions.