Manipur violence news: SC forms former HC judges’ committee to look into relief, rehabilitation

Manipur violence news: The Supreme Court of India on Monday appointed three former High Court judges- Justice Gita Mittal, Justice Shalini Joshi, Justice Asha Menon- to lead a committee that would look into the investigation, relief, remedial measures, compensation, rehabilitation in violence stricken Manipur.

The Supreme Court bench said a detailed order will be uploaded on the apex court website later in the evening.

The move comes as the apex court resumed hearing pleas in relation to the Manipur violence that broke out on 3 May.

The Supreme Court bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud on Monday appointed former Jammu and Kashmir High Court Chief Justice Gita Mittal, Justice (retd) Shalini P Joshi, and Justice (retd) Asha Menon to head the committee that would oversee the investigation, rehabilitation and relief measures in violence stricken Manipur.

The bench, also comprising Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, said the effort of the apex court is to restore a sense of confidence and faith in the rule of law in the state.

On August 1, the top court had said there was a complete breakdown of law and order and constitutional machinery in Manipur.

It had rapped the state police for a "tardy" and "lethargic" probe of incidents of ethnic violence, especially those targeting women, had summoned the DGP to answer its queries on August 7.

The Centre had urged the bench that instead of the two FIRs related to a video showing women being paraded naked by a mob, 11 out of 6,523 FIRs linked to violence against women and children may be transferred to the CBI and tried out of Manipur.

The bench is hearing around 10 petitions related to the spiralling violence, including those seeking court-monitored probe into cases, besides measures for relief and rehabilitation.

Meanwile, a Delhi-NCR-based women's organisation of the Kuki-Hmar-Zomi community of Manipur has demanded the withdrawal of a remark made by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta in the Supreme Court where he had reportedly said that most of the unclaimed bodies of the ethnic violence in Manipur belong to those of "infiltrators".

Manipur has been in the grip of extreme ethnic violence since 3 May. The violence that broke out between the Kuki Zo and the Meitei community started after the High Court in Manipur suggested the Chief Minister and Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) leader N Biren Singh that Meitei community be added to the Scheduled Tribe (ST) list .

The Manipur unrest has seen hundred being displaced, many die and many injured in repeated violent episodes. A viral video two Kuki Zo women being paraded naked by a mob of Meitei women incurred mass outrage blaming the PM Narendra Modi government and the Manipur government for failing to handle the Manipur crisis.

(With agency inputs)