In response to recent controversies involving migrant workers, the Meghalaya Government has amended the Meghalaya Identification, Registration (Safety and Security) of Migrant Workers Act, 2020. This amendment aims to improve the verification process for migrant workers’ backgrounds.
As reported by media, both the Meghalaya Government and the State police will now utilise the Crime and Criminal Tracking Network System (CCTNS) to verify the documents of migrant workers, ensuring they have no prior criminal records.
The CCTNS, an initiative of the Central Government, aims to create a comprehensive and integrated system for effective policing through e-Governance.
Additionally, the State Government has announced a significant increase in penalties for violations of the Act, raising the fine from Rs 5,000 to Rs 1 lakh. Repeat offenders may face a jail term of up to three months.
Last month, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma assured that the registration of migrant workers would be strictly enforced, emphasising that unauthorised document checks would result in severe consequences.
To date, 10 cases have been filed against organisations and individuals conducting unauthorised checks.
