ITANAGAR : Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Saturday acknowledged the concerns raised by the ST Bachao Andolan Committee over the implementation of the Inner Line Permit (ILP) system, stating that the issues flagged by the group are genuine and assuring that the government will convene an all-stakeholder meeting by May 27 to discuss the matter.

The assurance comes amid growing tensions over the ILP issue, with the ST Bachao Andolan Committee intensifying its campaign and demanding broader consultations involving community-based organisations, legal experts, scholars and other stakeholders.

The group had on Friday warned of a statewide bandh if the government failed to engage in an open and inclusive dialogue within a stipulated timeframe.

The ILP issue has sparked widespread debate in Arunachal Pradesh over concerns related to enforcement, identification of illegal entrants, and protection of indigenous rights.

The state government had earlier approved stricter and fully digitised ILP enforcement measures, including QR code-based verification, Aadhaar-linked authentication, mandatory police verification and tougher penalties for violations.