IT News
Imphal, Dec 4:
The Supreme Court’s handling of the Manipur violence case has slowed significantly in 2024, with only five hearings this year and no substantive orders issued, according to a report by The Print. In contrast, the court actively addressed the case 25 times in 2023, particularly in the months following the outbreak of violence in May, which claimed hundreds of lives and displaced thousands.
The Print highlights that between May and August 2023, the Supreme Court held 11 hearings, culminating in a landmark judgment on August 7. The court appointed a three-member panel led by Justice Gita Mittal to oversee relief and rehabilitation efforts in the state. The same judgment also tasked former Maharashtra DGP Dattatray Padsalgikar with supervising investigations into FIRs related to the violence and probing allegations of police collusion.
The court continued its engagement until the winter recess, conducting 14 additional hearings. Notable orders included directives to cremate unclaimed bodies obstructed by NGOs, protect places of worship, and enhance victim compensation schemes. Despite the submission of 37 reports by Justice Mittal’s committee, much of this work remains unaddressed due to the lack of follow-up hearings in 2024.
Quoting a senior advocate involved in the case, The Print reports that the matter has seen no significant progress this year. “Each time it came up for hearing, it simply got adjourned. The case appeared in the advance cause list of the Chief Justice’s bench several times but was rarely heard,” the advocate said. Another lawyer pointed out that one of Justice Mittal’s reports emphasized the need for a land rights law in Manipur, noting that no legislation currently exists to enable the state to acquire land for public purposes. This issue, the lawyer added, has remained unresolved due to opposition from certain communities.
The lack of hearings has frustrated those seeking justice. Advocate Sumita Hazarika told The Print, “Since August, we haven’t had even a single substantial hearing. The sealed nature of Justice Mittal’s reports has left us in the dark about what is happening on the ground.”
The case, which initially reached the Supreme Court in May 2023, was sparked by a controversial High Court order urging the inclusion of the Meitei community in the Scheduled Tribes list. While the Supreme Court criticized the order as “obnoxious,” it refrained from intervening, noting that the issue was pending before a larger bench. The High Court’s order, widely regarded as the trigger for the ethnic unrest, was eventually set aside in February 2024.
Despite the continued filing of reports by the Mittal committee, including updates on rehabilitation and the protection of places of worship, hearings have dwindled. The top court’s diminished focus has dampened expectations of a judicial resolution, leaving the victims of Manipur’s violence waiting for justice.
