Apex Court's Three-Member Committee Aims to Restore Rule of Law and Ensure Justice for Manipur Violence Victims

NEW-DELHI: In response to the recent violence in Manipur, the Supreme Court of India has taken a significant step towards ensuring justice and support for the affected people. On Monday, the apex court announced the formation of a three-member committee consisting of former women judges from different High Courts to monitor the relief and rehabilitation efforts in the state.

Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud's bench revealed that the esteemed committee will be chaired by the former Chief Justice of Jammu and Kashmir High Court, Geeta Mittal. Joining her are two other esteemed members, Justice (Retired) Shalini P. Joshi and Justice (Retired) Asha Menon. Justice JB Pardiwala and Justice Manoj Mishra are also involved in the bench's efforts.

The primary objective of the committee is not just limited to overseeing relief and rehabilitation work but also to restore faith in the rule of law within the state. It aims to ensure that justice is served to the victims and that the perpetrators of the violence are brought to justice.

Furthermore, the Supreme Court has instructed senior police officers to supervise the criminal cases under investigation by the state's Special Investigation Team (SIT). Manipur's Director General of Police, Rajiv Singh, appeared before the bench to provide insights into the measures taken by the administration to address caste-based violence and its segregation of cases for more effective investigation.

Representing the central and state governments, Attorney General R. Venkatramani and Solicitor General Tushar Mehta submitted a report as requested by the Supreme Court on various issues, including the segregation of cases. "The government is dealing with the situation very judiciously," said the Attorney General, highlighting the state government's formation of an SIT at the district level to investigate sensitive cases.

In addition to the state SIT's efforts, the government has also offered to involve the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in 11 cases related to violence against women and children. This move comes after the Supreme Court expressed dissatisfaction with the slow and lax investigations into incidents of caste-based violence, especially those targeting women.

Previously, the apex court had summoned the DGP of Manipur to address the concerning law and order situation, emphasizing the breakdown of the constitutional machinery.

Notably, The court is currently addressing about ten petitions related to the violence in Manipur, and with the formation of the three-member committee, hopes are high for a fair and just resolution for the affected individuals.