Supreme Court Extends Tenure Of Committee For Manipur Violence Relief And Rehabilitation

The Supreme Court has extended the tenure of the committee tasked with overseeing the relief and rehabilitation of victims of ethnic violence in Manipur until July 31, 2025.

The bench, led by Justice Sanjiv Khanna, also confirmed that the hearing of the case related to the transfer of cases concerning the Manipur violence will continue in Guwahati.

The Supreme Court had previously constituted a three-member committee to monitor the relief efforts for the victims of ethnic violence in Manipur.

This committee is chaired by former Justice Geeta Mittal, who served at the Jammu and Kashmir High Court.

The other members of the committee include former Justice Shalini P Joshi of the Bombay High Court and former Justice Asha Menon of the Delhi High Court.

In August 2023, the Supreme Court had ordered the formation of this committee to ensure effective monitoring of relief and rehabilitation for the victims, and to oversee compensation disbursement.

Separate Judicial Inquiry Commission By Home Ministry

In addition to the committee formed by the Supreme Court, the Home Ministry had set up a separate three-member judicial inquiry commission to investigate the ongoing ethnic violence in Manipur.

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This commission includes former Chief Justice of the Guwahati High Court, Ajay Lamba; former IAS officer, Himanshu Shekhar; and former IPS officer, Alok Prabhakar.

While both bodies focus on different aspects of the crisis, they are working towards addressing the humanitarian and legal challenges arising from the violence.

Earlier Extensions And Continuing Struggles In Manipur

The Supreme Court had previously extended the tenure of Justice Geeta Mittal’s committee for six months.

Since May 2023, Manipur has been grappling with intense communal violence, resulting in more than 200 deaths, hundreds of injuries, and thousands of displaced people.

The committee’s extended tenure ensures that its vital work continues during a period of ongoing recovery for the state.

The Supreme Court’s decision to extend the committee’s tenure emphasizes the critical need for continued oversight and support for the victims as Manipur deals with the aftermath of the violence.