The Inner Line Regulation Commission (ILRC) under the Naga Students’ Federation (NSF) has issued a statement addressing what it described as a long-standing misconception regarding the Inner Line Regulation provisions for Nepali and Gorkha citizens in Nagaland. The NSF commission said that the belief that Nepalis or Gorkhas do not require an Inner Line Pass (ILP) to enter or reside in the state is “incorrect and unsupported by law.”
According to the NSF commission, the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation, 1873 mandates the ILP for all persons other than natives staying within ILP-notified areas, including Nagaland. It stated that the only exemptions for non-natives apply to those who settled in the Naga Hills before Nagaland attained statehood in December 1963.
The NSF commission said the misconception is often linked to the Indo-Nepal Treaty of Peace and Friendship, 1950. It noted that some people interpret the treaty as offering automatic exemption, but clarified that such an interpretation is inaccurate. The statement said, “While the treaty provides reciprocal privileges, these privileges are subject to domestic laws.” It added that protective legislations such as the BEFR, Article 371(A), and other constitutional safeguards for indigenous communities remain fully applicable in Nagaland.
“Therefore, Nepalis or Gorkhas are not exempted from ILP provisions, and the treaty does not override the Inner Line Regulation or any protective mechanisms followed in Nagaland,” the NSF ILRC stated.
The NSF ILRC also clarified that the ILP is not a citizenship-based system but a protective mechanism regulating entry into tribal and protected areas. It said that Nepalis or Gorkhas who are Indian citizens must obtain an ILP unless they fall within the pre-1963 settled category, while Nepali nationals are subject to both ILP requirements and other immigration regulations.
The commission urged the public and all stakeholders to avoid spreading or relying on incorrect assumptions about ILP exemptions. It said the legal position is clear that only non-indigenous persons settled in the Naga Hills prior to 1963 are exempted.
“The legal position is unequivocal: only non-indigenous persons settled in the Naga Hills prior to 1963 are exempted and Nepali/Gorkha citizens—whether Indian citizens or Nepal nationals—are not automatically exempt from ILP requirements in Nagaland,” the commission maintained.
The ILRC added that it will conduct surprise checking “at any time and at any place” to ensure proper enforcement and compliance.