Manipur violence: SC committee files 3 reports, calls for regenerating lost documents as first step to 'healing' violence-hit state

A bench headed by Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud noted that the committee has filed three separate reports before the apex court after meeting stakeholders earlier this month. -- Reports ETV Bharat's Sumit Saxena.

New Delhi: The Supreme Court-appointed committee headed by former J&K High Court Chief Justice, Justice Gita Mittal Monday said the first step towards healing Manipur, hit by ethnic violence since May this year, would be the remaking of documents either destroyed or lost in the violence.

A bench headed by Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud noted that the committee has filed three separate reports before the apex court after meeting stakeholders earlier this month. The Chief Justice observed that the first report submitted by the committee highlights the loss of essential documents by people in the state who have been removed from their homes.

After examining the reports, the Chief Justice said, "The committee suggests the appointment of a nodal officer to take charge of the reconstruction of these documents”. The Chief Justice, while addressing the counsel of both petitioners and the Manipur government, said the documents include Aadhaar cards and benefits are now distributed through the modalities of the Aadhaar card, which is also linked to bank accounts.

The committee also includes Justices Shalini Phansalkar Joshi and Asha Menon, both former high court judges. The apex court noted that the second report of the committee was regarding the Manipur victim compensation scheme and pointed out that the committee says that substantial improvement is required in the scheme.

The top court noted that this compensation scheme should be in the same league as the schemes framed by the National Legal Services Authority. The committee also pointed out that a victim who has received welfare from a scheme, he or she would not be considered for benefits under the compensation scheme.

The top court said in other states, if a victim has got benefits under any other scheme, that fact will be taken into consideration while deciding the amount of compensation under this scheme. The CJI said the committee reports identify core areas in which work needs to be done, which include rehabilitation for women victims of violence, comprehensive psychological assistance, mental health care, medical care, relief camps, and monitoring.

The committee added that it has also identified domain experts who could help in these fields. The top court said it would pass certain procedural directions to facilitate the committee’s work, which includes office space, funding, setting up of a web portal, and other requirements related to the infrastructure. After hearing submissions, the top court scheduled the matter for further hearing on Friday.