Manipur Violence: SC Extends Tenure of Justice Gita Mittal Committee

The Supreme Court on Monday (August 5) extended by six months the tenure of the Justice Gita Mittal committee, which was established to oversee the relief and rehabilitation of victims of ethnic violence in Manipur.

A bench comprising Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, Justice JB Pardiwala, and Justice Manoj Misra extended the committee’s term after being informed that its previous tenure had ended on July 15, 2024.

“The committee chaired by Justice Gita Mittal stands extended by six months,” the bench stated.

The Supreme Court, in August last year mandated the creation of a committee to oversee relief, rehabilitation, and compensation for victims of recent ethnic violence.

This panel, comprised of three former women high court judges, will also ensure the monitoring of criminal investigations. Former Maharashtra police chief Dattatray Padsalgikar has been appointed to supervise these investigations.

The committee, chaired by former Jammu and Kashmir High Court Chief Justice Mittal, includes Justices (retd) Shalini P. Joshi of the Bombay High Court and Asha Menon of the Delhi High Court. They are authorized to submit their findings directly to the Supreme Court, which is overseeing cases related to the ongoing ethnic strife.

This move follows the Supreme Court’s condemnation of a disturbing video depicting women being paraded naked in the state. Since the outbreak of violence on May 3, 2023, triggered by a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ protesting the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe status, over 200 people have been killed, several hundred injured, and thousands displaced.