Shillong, Jan 19: The Hynniewtrep National Youth Front (HNYF) on Tuesday justified the setting up of entry and exit point in the State. They viewed that the entry and exit point was a mechanism by the Government that will help the State to curb influx.

The statement comes in wake of a PIL filed by a group of lawyers in Meghalaya High Court against entry and exit point and Meghalaya Residents Safety and Security Act (MRSSA) 2016.

In a press release, the General secretary of the HNYF, Sadon Blah said that State can make its own laws.

He said that the PIL states that the entry and exit point violates the provision of Article 14,15,19 and 21 of the Constitution, however, they are of the view that the articles deal with fundamental rights and the State can make its own laws.

Blah remarked that the purpose of the MRSSA is to regulate and detect any possible illegal migrants.

“The PIL has accused the Government to have overstepped the limit of legislation by passing the MRSSA, entry and exit points. But taking into consideration that the whole of Meghalaya, except designated otherwise, is a tribal state, and the State of Meghalaya has adopted a principle of ‘procedure established by law’ for the protection of the interest of the scheduled Tribes, in passing and implementing the MRSSA entry exit points”, he added.

He further said that the definition of State in Article 12 of the Constitution also empowers the State government to legislate.

On the views expressed in the PIL that section 144 CrPC and section 188 IPC is enough to check illegal migrants, Blah alleged that relying on these two sections will only lead to further violation of personal liberty and individual rights because they will warrant late-night summons and search.