Curfew was relaxed for 16 hours in two police station areas in Meghalaya's capital Shillong on Friday while the mobile internet services continued to remain suspended for the past ten days, officials said.
The Meghalaya Assembly unanimously on Thursday adopted a resolution requesting the Centre to promulgate the inner line permit (ILP) in the mountainous state to keep the state out of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).
Several agitating bodies have welcomed the state government's move.
There has been no fresh trouble over the CAA across the mountainous state for the past several days.
According to an official of the district administration, District Magistrate of East Khasi Hills, M. W. Nongbri on Friday issued an order relaxing the curfew for 16 hours from 5 a.m. in areas under Lumdiengjri police station and the Sadar police station.
"As precautionary measures, the curfew would be reimposed in these two police station areas from 9 p.m. on Friday night till further orders," the official added. The curfew was imposed in Shillong and its outskirts on December 11 following the protests against CAA.
The shops and markets, government offices, educational institutions, all banks were open and vehicles plying as usual.
People, specially the women were busy in Christmas-eve shopping.
Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma said that the government would relax prohibitory orders to allow people to celebrate Christmas.
"Decision on resumption of mobile internet services would be taken soon after a review meeting of senior government officials," Sangma said.
Confederation of Meghalaya Social Organisations (COMSO), a conglomerate of agitating bodies said the demand for the regulatory permit would continue until the union Home Ministry gives its approval.
COMSO Chairman Robert Kharjahrin said: "This is a matter of pleasure that the state Assembly cutting across party lines adopted resolution on ILP, but we have only achieved 50 per cent. The COMSO would pursue the matter till the Central government and the President gives stipulated approval."
The one-day Assembly session had been convened with one-point agenda -- to pass the mandatory resolution, before the Union Home Ministry issued a notification to enforce the ILP. The state cabinet had approved the resolution on Tuesday.
Last week, Sangma had led a delegation of the ruling Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) to meet Home Minister Amit Shah to demand introduction of the ILP in Meghalaya.
"We discussed the ILP and other issues with the Home Minister who assured us of a positive response," said Sangma.
The ILP is in force in Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Mizoram and Manipur and was notified under the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation, 1873, to allow inward travel of an Indian citizen into a protected area for a stipulated period.
The CAA will not apply to the ILP and the Tribal Autonomous District Council (TADC) areas. In the four Northeastern states there are 10 TADCs, constituted under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution. While Assam, Meghalaya and Mizoram have three TADCs each, Tripura has one.
LS polls: First phase sees 60.03 per cent voting against 69.43 per cent in 2019
Voting for the first phase of the Lok Sabha elections was held on Friday for 102 constituencies across 21 states and Union Territories (UTs) amid reports of violence from some parts of West Bengal and Manipur.
6 Eastern Nagaland districts abstain from voting amid shutdown call over ‘frontier territory’ demand
Despite the indefinite shutdown call given by the Naga bodies from Thursday evening, the Election Commission made all efforts to conduct polling in the six districts covering 20 of the state's 60 Assembly segments.
Tripura LS Poll: 80.40% voting turnout recorded till 5 PM
Addressing a press conference here in his chamber on Friday evening, RO Dr Vishal Kumar said, “The voting turnout rested at 80.40% till 5 pm today and the figure is expected to cross the record of the previous Lok Sabha election which recorded 82.4%.”
Congress, INDIA bloc against development & farmers: PM Modi says in Maharashtra
Criticising the Congress and the INDIA bloc, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said that the unwavering faith of the people in 'Modi's Guarantee' is giving sleepless nights to the Opposition alliance leaders.
BJP rules out oppositions’ allegation of proxy voting; thanks EC, police of ensuring peaceful voting
At a time when the opposition I.N.D.I.A bloc had alleged of proxy voting and targeted the ruling BJP of turning the election into a farce, the ruling BJP on Friday thanked the election commission for ensuring peaceful voting.
Rahul Gandhi's decision to contest from Wayanad shows 'lack of confidence': BJP President Nadda
Accusing Rahul Gandhi of "promoting corruption, nepotism, and appeasement", BJP President Jagat Prakash Nadda said on Friday that the Congress leader's decision to contest from Wayanad shows a "lack of confidence" in winning his long-standing Lok Sabha seat of Amethi in Uttar Pradesh.
INDI alliance loses ground, resorts to false allegations: CM
Chief Minister Prof. Dr. Manik Saha said on Friday that the INDI alliance has lost its ground, leading them to resort to making false and misleading allegations. Dr. Saha said this while traveling by train to participate in election programs in North District and Unakoti District.
Tripura records highest 79.83 pc voter turnout in Northeast
Tripura witnessed around 79.83 per cent voter turnout registered till 5 p.m. in the Tripura West Lok Sabha seat on Friday in the first of the seven-phased general polls, as per the data provided by the Election Commission of India (ECI).