Chief Minister Conrad Sangma would soon hold a meeting next week to discuss on the amended Meghalaya Residents Safety and Security Act (MRSSA), which was returned by the central government recently, Deputy Chief Minister in-charge Home, Prestone Tynsong said.
However, the state government is going ahead with the MRSSA 2016 insofar as it pertains to the registration of tenants, which will be trialled in seven neighbourhoods of Shillong.
In March 2020, the Meghalaya Assembly has unanimously passed the Meghalaya Residents Safety and Security (Amendment) Bill, 2020. The amended version of the Act seeks to regulate the entry of people and their stay as tenants in the state.
This Act hasn’t found favours with different Governors over the years and was sent to the Centre for the President’s assent, which is still awaited.
“The Union Ministry of Home Affairs has returned the amended MRSSA passed in the Assembly and we will hold a meeting next week to discuss the views put forward by the MHA,” Tynsong said.
Under this Act, all landlords/tenants who are residing in Nongrim Hills, Pohkseh, Nongrah, Nongmensong, Lapalang, Riat Laban and Wahdienglieng to mandatorily register themselves through the app https://megrssa.nic.in.
The government has said that the Act is being introduced to ensure and enhance security of the citizens of the state by making careful and thorough examination of tenants residing in the state.
The implementation of the Act will prevent anti-social elements from gaining shelter in the state and create a control mechanism to check illegal infiltration or illegal migrant who might be coming and residing in different localities,” a government notification pointed out.
In order to implement the Act, the government in collaboration with NIC, has launched an online application from September 9, 2022 which will enable the landlords and tenants to register themselves with prior verification from local authorities.
“Documents required and other detailed information can be obtained from the office of the Deputy Commissioner, East Khasi Hills, Shillong and the respective Rangbah Shnongs (traditional heads,)” the notification further added.
Earlier, the powerful Khasi Students’ Union had slammed the state government for failing to ensure the implementation of the MRSSA, 2016.