Manipur Crisis | Supreme Court Asks State To Furnish Details Of Buildings Burnt, Looted & Trespassed And Action Taken Against Violators

The Supreme Court today (December 9) asked the Manipur Government to furnish in a seal cover a list of properties which have been burnt, looted or encroached upon amidst the ongoing ethnic clashes in the State. 

The bench of CJI Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar was hearing the matter relating to the Manipur Ethnic Violence Crisis.  

Senior Advocate Vibha Makhija, appearing for  Justice Gita Mittal Committee, informed that the Justice Gita Mittal Committee has prepared over 34 reports on the various tasks undertaken since last year. Highlighting the work progress and the key humanitarian milestones touched by the committee, Makhija submitted,

"Some commendable work has been done by the Committee completely pro bono. There are such laudable rehabilitation measures which have taken your lordships. It's been working 24x7, people have been put in hospitality areas, their skills have been built, they have been brought back to occupy their properties." 

The Court directed the Committee Reports to be filed to enable the Home Ministry and the State Government to take remedial action. 

Taking into consideration the grievance of displaced persons and their properties which have effected due to the conflict, the bench passed the following order: 

"We also direct the State Govt. to file the following details- (1) building burnt and partially burnt; (2) buildings which are looted; (3) buildings trespassed and encroached upon, in all these give details name and address of the owner as well as the person, if any, in occupation of the property. The report shall also indicate the steps taken by the state govt to ensure that the persons who have trespassed are proceeded against as per law. The said list be given in a sealed cover. " 

The State Government was also asked to respond to the issue of the release of funds for temporary and permanent housing as flagged by the Mittal Commitee. 

The CJI told the State : "You have to take a decision on how you want to deal with it or in  terms of criminal action as well as to ask them to pay mesne profits for the use of the occupation (of properties)" 

The Solicitor General (SG) Tushar Mehta, appearing for the State agreeing to the same, further informed the bench that the  "first priority was the law-and-order situation, the second was whatever the arms are recovered." 

Reluctant to share the data in open Court, the SG expressed, "We have the data, but we will not share it(openly), very frequently it is highlighted in the media, I have seen many interviews, of the track interviews, which I would request my learned friend to avoid" 

During the hearing, the bench refused to indulge into an intervention application filed by a resident of Delhi for the benefit of the displaced persons in Manipur. The SG told the bench that the applicant was a "Sikh gentleman, with a Christian name and residing in Delhi's Pitampura" who had no locus in the matter.  

The counsel for the applicant, opined, "trust of people on Union and State govt is at stake, people are looking to Hon'ble Court...otherwise the situation will only get worse day by day." 

To which the CJI replied, "We are aware of that, you don't have to tell us." 

At this juncture, the SG intervened to caution, " My lordships, after 1 hour will be quoted in Public Media by saying that the CJI agreed that people's faith has..."

CJI clarified, " No, no, we have not said " 

The matter will now be heard after January 20, 2025  

Case Details: DINGANGLUNG GANGMEI vs. MUTUM CHURAMANI MEETEI| Diary No. - 19206/2023 

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