New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led governments at the Centre and in Manipur informed the Supreme Court Monday that normality was returning to the state after 52 companies of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) and 101 companies of the Assam Rifles were deployed there, after clashes erupted between Meiteis and tribal people last week.
Appearing for the two governments, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told a bench led by Chief Justice of India (CJI) D.Y. Chandrachud that flag marches were being conducted in disturbed areas.
A former senior police officer has been appointed as security adviser to the state government and another serving senior officer has been repatriated Sunday from central deputation to serve as chief secretary of Manipur, Mehta further said.
The submission was made before the court when it was considering two petitions filed in connection with last week’s violence. One was filed by the Manipur Tribal Forum seeking the constitution of a Special Investigation Team probe into the violence and relief for victims.
The second was an appeal filed by Dinganglung Gangmei, a BJP MLA and chairman of the Hills Area Committee (HAC) of the Manipur Legislative Assembly.
Gangmei had filed an appeal against a 27 March order of the Manipur High Court. In this order, the high court asked the state to send the Union government a recommendation within four weeks on the Meitei community’s demand to be included in the Scheduled Tribes (ST) list — an issue that was a major factor in triggering the clashes.
During the hearing, the Supreme Court bench made oral observations about the order by a single-judge bench of the HC, and said it was not within the high court’s power to issue such a direction.
The CJI also chided the petitioner on whose plea the 27 March order was issued. This was for not bringing to the HC’s notice the top court’s judgments on who is empowered to grant ST status to a community
“You never told the high court that this power is not with the HC — it’s a presidential power,” the SC bench, also comprising Justices P.S. Narasimha and J.B. Pardiwala, remarked when senior advocate Sanjay Hegde attempted to make a submission on behalf of the HC petitioner.
Mehta clarified that Manipur, on its part, was taking appropriate steps in respect of the HC order by moving the competent forum (division bench of the HC) in the matter.
The court took note of this submission and refrained from issuing notice on Gangmei’s appeal against the high court order.
After hearing the case briefly, the SC emphasised in its order that the state and the Union government must ensure that arrangements are made in relief camps — where many of the victims of the violence are residing — for basic amenities and food.
All necessary precautions for rehabilitation of displaced persons should be undertaken and all religious places of worship must be protected, the SC said, asking the authorities to provide medical care at Army hospitals or other suitable hospitals to those residing in relief camps and needing urgent medical intervention.
The court has asked both the Union government and Manipur to file a status report on the ground situation in the state before the next date of hearing, 17 May.
‘Constant vigilance’
During the hearing, Mehta told the SC that peace meetings had been conducted in the violence-hit areas of Manipur and constant vigilance was being maintained.
In addition to the extensive security deployed in the state, helicopters and drones are being used to monitor the situation, and relief camps have been opened for displaced persons where rations and medical help are being provided, Mehta said.
Security forces are facilitating movement of those who are stranded in troubled areas, the solicitor general added, assuring the court that “as a consequence of the measures adopted, no violence has been reported in the state in the course of the previous two days”.
“The situation is returning to normal,” Mehta claimed, informing the bench about curfew relaxation allowed for a few hours Sunday.
Appearing for petitioner Manipur Tribal Forum, senior advocate Colin Gonsalves highlighted the need to preserve law and order in Manipur and to provide relief in rehabilitation camps.
In response, Mehta assured that the concerns of the petitioner as well as the court would be taken note of and that remedial steps, wherever required, would be taken on a proactive basis.
(Edited by Nida Fatima Siddiqui)
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