NSF-ILRC launches ILP youth awareness campaign at KC

The Inner Line Regulation Commission (ILRC) under the Naga Students’ Federation (NSF) on Tuesday kick-started its ILP awareness campaign for youth at Kohima College. The programme aims to educate students on the Inner Line Permit (ILP) system, rooted in the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation, 1873.
Organised in collaboration with the All Nagaland College Students’ Union (ANCSU), the event was chaired by ANCSU president Tenyesinlo Bukh and began with an invocation by Dr. Theyiseinuo Keditsu. In his welcome, Bukh urged students to engage in issues affecting their future.
The college principal underlined the ILP’s importance in protecting the rights of indigenous communities. NSF Vice President Mteisuding gave a brief account of the ILRC’s formation and objectives.
ILRC chairman Senchumo NSN Lotha provided an in-depth explanation of ILP provisions and the need for better implementation. “We have the gun but don’t know how to use it,” He said, Nagas must learn to enforce the law properly, as Mizoram does. He clarified that the ILP was a temporary travel document, not a long-term permit, and must be respected by all non-residents. Senchumo emphasised that the ILRC was working for lawful cooperation, not conflict.
ILRC member secretary Seve R. Vadeo, in his closing remarks, said the ILP is more than a colonial-era law—it is a protective mechanism for Nagaland’s identity, land, and economy. He called on youth to safeguard their future by understanding and defending the ILP.