Supreme Court: While hearing a set of petitions for seeking Special Investigation Team (‘SIT’) Probe into Manipur violence and challenging the order of Manipur High Court, wherein the State of Manipur was directed to consider recommending the Centre to include the Meitei Community in the Scheduled Tribe list of Constitution of India, within the period of four weeks, the three Judge Bench of Dr. D.Y Chandrachud (CJ), P.S Narasimha and J.B. Pardiwala, JJ., said Manipur HC's order was factually wrong and expressed its strong views against it.
Background
The Meitei community had their tribal status before 21-09-1949, i.e., before signing the Merger Agreement with the Union of India (‘UOI’). However, while merging Manipur with the UOI, the Meitei community of Manipur had lost their status and identity of being tribals. Thus, the members of the Meitei Tribe Union approached the High Court. The High Court directed the State of Manipur to consider the inclusion of the Meitei community in the Scheduled Tribe list, expeditiously, within a period four weeks.
As a result of the said decision, violence broke out between the people of Meitei community and Kuki community in the State. The violence in the State had reached such heights that the Centre Government had to intervene to control the situation. Thus, different petitions were filed before the Court seeking probe into the violence and challenging the High Court’s decision.
In a previous order of the Court, the Bench had expressed its concern over loss of human life, destruction of homesteads and directed the authorities to provide medical care in relief camps. The Court had also directed the State of Manipur to apprise the Court about the steps taken to provide relief and rehabilitative measures.
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Court's Order
The Centre and State Government filed a status report before the Court as sought by the Court in its previous order and it was mentioned that the situation in the State has improved, 315 relief camps have been set up and Manipur State had sanctioned contingency fund of Rs. 3 crores for relief measures and about 46,000 people have been helped so far.
The Court said that the Manipur High Court's order was factually wrong. The Court also said that Justice Muralidharan was given time to remedy the order and the errors, however no remedy was done. Thus, the Court said it must take a strong view against the order.
[Dinganglung Gangmei v. Mutum Churamani Meetei, Order Dated: 17-05-2023]
Source: Press
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