Shillong, Feb 19: The state government will revisit the Meghalaya Residents Safety and Security Act (MRSSA) to bring necessary amendment to make the Act constitutionally feasible, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma told the Assembly on Thursday.
The Act was introduced in 2016 by the previous government with an aim of tackling illegal immigration although it could not be fully implemented yet due to legal and constitutional hurdles.
“I assure the House that we will re-examine the entire aspect and see how we could bring amendments in the MRSSA which would withstand the scrutiny of the judiciary as well as of the government of India and the parliament,” the Chief Minister said while replying to a resolution moved by Leader of Opposition Mukul Sangma.
The LoP urged the government to complete the whole process of establishment of facilitation centre(s) at the identified entry-exit points with proper guidelines and to put in place all other regulatory measures as per the mandate of MRSSA, 2016.
The Chief Minister also informed the House that the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) had already directed the state government to review the MRSSA.
“The MHA has asked us to relook into the aspects of MRSSA. We are working with the Law department, AG, and Home department to navigate through the complex web of laws and rules,” Sangma said.
Sangma said the government also plans to validate entry-exit points through the new Immigration and Foreigners Act 2025, incorporating Restricted Area provisions. “Precisely that is what we are trying to do,” Sangma stated.
Appreciating the suggestions given on the issue, Sangma said, “If it requires us to engage with political parties…we welcome that. We will have a session to discuss and take suggestions on how the MRSSA could be amended and given more strength.”
“We are all on the same boat on this suggestion. We are open to suggestions and keen to find a solution,” he added.
Emphasising the need for a long-term socio-economic solution, the Chief Minister said, “At the end of the day, it is only by finding long-term socio-economic solutions and ensuring every stakeholder plays their role that we will be able to find a solution to tackle illegal immigration.”
He highlighted that economic opportunities are a major driver of illegal immigration, saying, “They (illegal immigrants) are coming here because of economics, they are getting jobs.”
Expressing satisfaction with the CM’s response, Mukul Sangma withdrew his resolution and said, “My mind is very positive. I would like to say thank you to the chief minister. Today’s discussion reflects the collective resolve and intent to improve the sense of responsibility towards this crucial issue.”
Mukul appreciated the government’s willingness to work collectively, stating, “We look forward to all those collective measures.”
The resolution was subsequently withdrawn.
Earlier, during the course of his reply, the chief minister highlighted the challenges faced by the state government in implementing the MRSSA, citing a High Court decision that stayed the operation of the Act due to lack of specific parameters for regulating entry and exit points.
“The intent behind MRSSA, 2016 was positive and correct, but we are confined and work under constraints of multiple acts, laws, and provisions made by the parliament and constitution,” Sangma said.
The CM stated that the High Court had noted that the provisions of MRSSA, 2016 were “omnibus in nature” and lacked specific parameters, leading to the closure of entry-exit gates.
“The challenge lies in navigating through these complexities and creating a law that can withstand judicial scrutiny,” Sangma added.
The High Court had stayed the operation of MRSSA in December 2021, but later disposed of the PIL in May 2022, considering it a health concern related to Covid-19 screening. The CM emphasized that the government faced a difficult situation in operating facilitation centers due to the court’s decision.
