The Meghalaya Assembly today passed the Meghalaya Identification, Registration (Safety & Security) of Migrant Workers Amendment Bill 2024 that seeks to strengthen the existing framework aimed at safeguarding migrant workers in the state.
Under the amended Meghalaya Identification Registration (Safety and Security) of Migrant Workers Act 2020, employers who do not comply with a registration notice within seven days will face fines ranging from Rs.5, 000 to Rs.1 lakh. Repeat offenders could also face imprisonment for up to three months.
The Bill also formally defines the role of an “inspector”—an official appointed by the government to enforce the provisions of the Act and the responsibilities of registering officers, such as deputy and assistant labour commissioners.
The Act was enacted in response to increasing concerns about the safety of migrant workers, who have recently been targeted in a series of violent attacks. The Act mandates the identification and registration of all migrant workers and establishes a system to address issues such as harassment, intimidation, and discrimination.
