ILP, RIIN: NTC reiterates on cut off year

Appreciating the State Cabinet’s decision to strengthen the Inner Line Permit (ILP) regime in Nagaland, the Nagaland Tribes Council (NTC) has reiterated its stand that December 1, 1963 was affective date for ascertaining Indigenous inhabitant of Nagaland.
In a press release, NTC president C. Pankathung Lotha and general secretary C. Onen Walling said Nagaland became a state out of 16-point agreement with effect from December 1, 1963. It pointed out that for the purpose of identifying Indigenous Inhabitant of Nagaland, there was already laid down cut-off year maintaining December 1, 1963 vide state government Notification No. AR-8/8/76 dated Kohima April 28, 1977.
The council maintained that BEFR Act 1873/ILP and RIIN were synonymous and therefore, there cannot be a different date and time of its implementation. “There is no going back or come forward from the already laid down agreement and Notification as aforesaid for the cut-off year as 1-12-1963 to be Indigenous Inhabitant of Nagaland,” NTC asserted.
It pointed out that in the last serial No.16-Point Agreement it was enumerated that “The rules embodied in the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation 1873 shall remain in force in the Nagaland”.
Further, NTC pointed out that the day the state was born, Nagaland was delegated by the Constitution of India to the government of Nagaland the authority to enforce BEFR Act 1873/ILP in the entire administrative jurisdiction of Nagaland including Dimapur. “In fact, 1-12-1963 is already recognized as the only cut-off year for the purpose of Indigenous inhabitant of Nagaland in the state,” NTC maintained.
However, it said that due to casual attitude and negligence of the successive government, this law has been kept dormant.
Besides, NTC said that unscrupulous people have been taking advantages on the complacency of the state administration by which the land laws were being affected-particularly in Dimapur district.
Therefore, NTC affirmed that there should not be any alternation of cut-off year and date other than December 1, 1963 for effective date of both BEFR Act 1873/1LP and RIIN for ascertaining Indigenous inhabitant of Nagaland throughout the territorial jurisdiction of the State.