Supreme Court Demands Comprehensive Explanation From Manipur Government Over Relief Camp Fatalities And Administrative Lapses
Photo: Collected
The Supreme Court of India has expressed deep concern and strong displeasure over multiple deaths among displaced persons in relief camps across the northeastern state of Manipur, questioning the state administration for failing to take timely and appropriate action.
A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi, and Justice V. Mohana raised serious questions regarding both natural and unnatural deaths reported in the camps, based on data provided by a committee headed by Justice Gita Mittal. The apex court has directed the Chief Secretary of Manipur to immediately submit a comprehensive affidavit. The directive demands an impartial investigation into the unnatural deaths in the camps, legal action against perpetrators, and details concerning camp security. The top court also sought a clear explanation as to why post-mortem examinations were conducted on only 20 bodies despite a total of 34 recorded deaths.
Criticizing the state administration for what it termed total irresponsibility, the bench questioned why meager compensation ranging from 20,000 to 30,000 rupees was provided to the families of victims in cases of unnatural death. The Manipur Legal Services Authority has been directed to monitor the progress of cases related to these 34 deaths, ensure the determination of exact causes of mortality, and play a facilitative role in expediting pending matters. Additionally, the court ordered the submission of separate status reports to accelerate investigations and ensure First Information Reports are registered for all unnatural death cases. The state administration has been issued a strict warning to ensure the safety and dignity of every displaced person, with the next hearing scheduled for October 5, 2026.
Ethnic violence that erupted in Manipur in May 2023 continues to reverberate through the state's administrative and legal corridors. Recent government data presented in the state legislature and directives from the country's highest court have brought the realities of current security, the living conditions of displaced individuals, and the state of the judiciary into public focus.
Appearing for the state of Manipur, Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati presented key updates on ongoing legal proceedings. She informed the court that the Special Investigation Team has registered 3,020 cases, of which closure reports have been filed in 1,583 cases due to a lack of evidence. Charges have been framed in 302 cases, with trial proceedings underway in 38 of them, leaving 1,135 cases under active investigation.
Out of 31 cases handled by the Central Bureau of Investigation, chargesheets have been filed in 28 cases while closure reports were submitted in three. Although the Manipur Legal Services Authority has provided detailed case reports to victims and their counsel, concerns persist over the sluggish pace of judicial proceedings.
To expedite trials, the Supreme Court previously issued special guidelines directing the Chief Justice of the Gauhati High Court to prioritize Manipur-related cases in Central Bureau of Investigation and National Investigation Agency courts. However, legal complexities and infrastructural limitations have created bottlenecks. Counsel for the Central Bureau of Investigation informed the court that anti-corruption cases are also tried under these courts, restricting Manipur hearings to just two days a week. Chief Justice Surya Kant advised relying on the High Court, noting that dedicated and efficient officers can maintain trial momentum even with a two-day work week. He also revealed that the establishment of at least two special courts is under active consideration to ease the judicial caseload concerning Manipur.
The 16th status report submitted by Monitoring Committee Head and former Director General of Police Porsalgikar has exposed new dimensions of social and political instability in the state. According to the report, a 48-hour general strike was observed following a call by the Campaign for Just and Free Delimitation demanding the updating of the National Register of Citizens prior to the census. The Manipur government's decision to suspend the census pending the implementation of the National Register of Citizens received a positive response across various communities. Simultaneously, severe humanitarian crises continue to grip relief camps, as detailed in the 47th report of the Justice Gita Mittal Committee.
The Justice Gita Mittal Committee report painted a grim picture of safety and infrastructural deficits for displaced populations, noting that numerous camp residents have suffered unnatural deaths. The committee identified at least 34 such deaths, of which official First Information Reports were filed in only 25 instances, and post-mortems conducted in just 20. Despite requests for detailed accounts of these fatalities, the Manipur government failed to provide a satisfactory response.
Statistical records highlight the heavy human toll of the conflict. According to data provided in the state assembly by Home Minister Govindas Konthoujam, a total of 306 people have died and 49 remain missing since the violence broke out on May 3, 2023. The bloody clashes between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities were initially triggered by a Tribal Solidarity March organized to protest the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe status.
Amid political paralysis and escalating violence, then-Chief Minister N. Biren Singh was forced to resign on February 13, 2025, leading to the imposition of President's Rule and the suspension of the 60-member state assembly. Following nearly a year of central rule, President's Rule was lifted on February 4, 2026, and a new government was formed under Bharatiya Janata Party leader Y. Khemchand Singh. Despite the establishment of new administrative leadership, the path toward rehabilitation, legal justice, and enduring peace for thousands of displaced and affected residents remains long and challenging.
