More than 20,700 people have been arrested in Mizoram in the past five years for entering the state without valid inner-line permits (ILP), home minister Lalchamliana told the Assembly on Tuesday.

In a written reply to a question from Independent MLA Andrew H. Thangliana, the minister said at least 20,765 people have been arrested by police and 19,220 of them pushed back from the state from 2015 till January this year.

Altogether 5,53,321 ILPs were issued to outsiders during this period, he said, adding that the state government is making efforts to upgrade the system. In December last year, the state government had launched online ILP portal to ensure security. It also rolled out ILP Mizoram mobile app for NGOs and general public and ILP Enforcer mobile app for the state police.

Officials of the state home department said temporary and regular ILP would, henceforth, be applied only through the newly launched portal and sponsors have to furnish complete bio-data, including EPIC number. The system is expected to put a check on the number of ILPs issued to outsiders and sponsors will have to monitor their clients to ascertain that they return to their native places after completing the purpose they came for. Under this system, ILP holders will have to report at police check gate before returning to their places.

The new portal can be accessed through ilp.mizoram.gov.in.

The ILP, a provision of the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation, 1873, is an official travel document issued to Indian citizens for entry into protected areas, including Mizoram.

In another written reply, the minister said the state government has sent a letter to the Union home ministry in July last year, seeking its intervention to stop the construction of a building by the Assam government near Vairengte on the Mizoram-Assam boundary.

The state government has also asked Assam and Kachurthal Masjid committee to stop the construction of a mosque at Zophai on the disputed land along the inter-state boundary last year.