IMPHAL: A three-member committee appointed by the Supreme Court, led by former Chief Justice of the Jammu and Kashmir High Court, Gita Mittal, visited the violence-affected Kangpokpi and Churachandpur districts in Manipur on Wednesday.
The committee, established by the apex court to oversee relief, rehabilitation, and rebuilding efforts in the state, include former Bombay High Court Judge Shalini Phansalkar Joshi and former Delhi High Court Judge Asha Menon, as members.
The committee’s first stop was at two relief camps in the Kangpokpi district headquarters, where they interacted with displaced individuals seeking shelter in these camps. More than 500 people, displaced by the violence, have sought refuge in the relief camps located at Keithelmanbi High School and DIET Centre in Leikop, under the Champhai sub-division of the district. Manipur’s Chief Secretary, Dr Vineet Joshi, accompanying them during the visit.
Upon their arrival, the committee members and the chief secretary were greeted by officials from the Kangpokpi district administration, led by DC Mahesh Chaudhari, at the DC office complex. During discussions, the committee addressed the current situation, identified necessary actions, and explored challenges related to providing relief and rehabilitation to those affected by the violence.
In the afternoon, they, along with the state chief secretary, visited the district headquarters of Churachandpur. In Churachandpur, the committee held a meeting with representatives from various civil society organisations (CSOs) at the mini-secretariat’s conference hall in Tuibong. This gathering included the presence of the District Commissioner (DC) and Superintendent of Police (SP).
Following the meeting, the committee members visited a relief camp located at the ECA Church campus in Tuibong, where they listened to the grievances expressed by camp residents.
The Supreme Court, on August 7, established this three-woman judicial panel to investigate and implement remedial measures, ensuring a comprehensive and fair investigation process in response to the violence in Manipur. The Chief Justice of India (CJI) emphasized the importance of restoring confidence in the legal system during the formation of the committee.
