Mizoram Merchant Association urges govt to close trade expo over ILP violations

Aizawl: The Mizoram Merchant Association (MIMA), an umbrella body of traders in the state, on Monday, urged the state government to close the ongoing trade Expo at Lammual in Aizawl after officials found 36 participants from different states without valid Inner Line Permits (ILP), a leader said.

The merchant association also accused the organiser of violating the Central Consumer Protection Act 2019 by naming the event the "First International Star Expo."

MIMA president PC Laldinthara told PTI that the organisation submitted a similar petition to the Aizawl Deputy Commissioner and the Superintendent of Police (SP) of Aizawl district, urging them to immediately shut down the Expo for law violations and false or misleading advertisements.

Although a private agency organised the event, officials said the organiser intends to extend it beyond the initially scheduled Tuesday closure.

In its petition, MIMA alleged that the organiser provided false or misleading advertisements by naming the event the "First International Star Expo" on its banners, contravening Section 89 of the Central Consumer Protection Act 2019.

“Even though it is named the International Star Expo, no foreign participants are involved as all participants come from different states across India. The organiser falsely advertises it as ‘international’ without any foreign presence, which violates the law,” Laldinthara said.

The petition also highlighted serious lapses in food safety standards at the Expo, alleging that a food vendor, 'Delhi Kitchen,' operated without a valid Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) license. The vendor’s license expired in February 2021, the petition added.

MIMA, along with the state apex student body Mizo Zirlai Pawl (MZP), conducted a voluntary ILP drive on October 10. During the drive, officials caught 36 non-tribal participants from different states without valid ILPs. The authorities handed over these ILP violators to the police the same day, the petition stated.