Dibrugarh: The Arunachal Pradesh government will set up a separate department dedicated to the Inner Line Permit (ILP) system to strengthen enforcement and safeguard indigenous tribal rights.
Chief Minister Pema Khandu announced the decision on Wednesday following a seven-hour-long high-level consultative meeting involving student bodies, legal experts, political parties, community-based organisations and civil society groups.
Taking to X, Khandu described the meeting as one of the “most serious and extensive discussions” on the future of Arunachal Pradesh and its indigenous communities.
“BIG decisions taken today after a 7-hour marathon Consultative Meeting on Indigenous Tribal Rights, ILP and APST matters. Student bodies, legal experts, political parties, CBOs and civil society organisations came together for one of the most serious and extensive discussions on the future of Arunachal Pradesh and its indigenous people,” Khandu posted.
“In principle, Arunachal Pradesh will now move towards creating a separate dedicated ILP Department, a major step towards strengthening the ILP system and protection of indigenous rights,” he added.
The chief minister also announced that seven-member delegations from the Arunachal Indigenous Tribes Forum (AITF), the All Arunachal Pradesh Students’ Union (AAPSU), the Arunachal Pradesh ST Bachao Andolan Committee (APSTBAC) and legal experts had been invited for a follow-up meeting on May 29 to prepare a roadmap on the issues discussed.
Speaking to reporters, Khandu said the government remained committed to protecting the identity, demographic security and constitutional rights of Arunachal Pradesh’s tribal population.
“All community-based organisations, student bodies, representatives of political parties and other stakeholders attended the consultative meeting and shared their concerns and suggestions,” he said.
The developments come amid protests over the “Arunachal Pradesh Inner Line Permit Guidelines, 2026”.
On May 14, the APSTBAC had called a 36-hour bandh, alleging that the new ILP guidelines could dilute indigenous protections and weaken provisions of the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation, 1873. The bandh turned violent on May 15, with clashes reported between protesters and security personnel.
The APSTBAC had been pressing the government to implement a stronger ILP mechanism. Following discussions with student leaders and stakeholders, the state government decided to establish a separate department to oversee ILP-related matters.
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