NIT Manipur students seek transfers amid ethnic violence, Supreme Court panel reviews

The Supreme Court was informed on Tuesday that a group of three former female high court judges, led by Justice Gita Mittal, was deliberating on the appeals of several National Institute of Technology (NIT) Manipur students who want to transfer to universities outside of the state that has been rocked by ethnic strife. 

A court made up of Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud, and others declared that the State had to provide housing for the students. 

Appearing for the panel, senior counsel Vibha Dutta Makhija informed the court that Justice (retd) Mittal was in communication with many authorities about the transfer request of multiple NIT, Manipur students. 

The senior attorney stated, "We are evaluating the validity of the students' requests for transfer," and mentioned that in certain situations, there could be legal prerequisites that need to be met. She begged the judge to allow the plea to be scheduled for two weeks later. The proposal was approved by the bench.

The Justice Gita Mittal Committee has had the necessary conversations with the relevant authorities. On August 27, we shall list it," the CJI declared. The bench also noted the statement made by another attorney stating that a request to form a committee to supervise the education of displaced pupils had been made.

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The senior attorney stated, "We are evaluating the validity of the students' requests for transfer," and mentioned that in certain situations, there could be legal prerequisites that need to be met. She begged the judge to allow the plea to be scheduled for two weeks later. The proposal was approved by the bench.

The Justice Gita Mittal Committee has had the necessary conversations with the relevant authorities. On August 27, we shall list it," the CJI declared. The bench also noted the statement made by another attorney stating that a request to form a committee to supervise the education of displaced pupils had been made.

The top court on August 9 directed the committee headed by Justice Mittal to look at the individual grievances raised by some displaced students from Manipur University who are seeking permanent transfer to other central universities. In November 2023, the bench had heard the plea of 284 students of Manipur University who had sought relocation in the wake of widespread violence. 

The bench had provided them three options (a) attend classes at Manipur University online (b) attend classes at Assam University, Silchar or (c) attend North East Hill University, Shillong. 

On August 7 last year, the bench had ordered the setting up of the committee of three former women high court judges to oversee relief and rehabilitation of the victims and compensation to them besides asking former Maharashtra police chief Dattatray Padsalgikar to monitor the probe in criminal cases. 

The committee was authorised to submit its reports directly to the top court which is monitoring the cases related to ethnic conflict. 

The panel, headed by former Jammu and Kashmir High Court Chief Justice Mittal, includes Justices (retd) Shalini P Joshi, a former judge of the Bombay High Court, and Asha Menon, an ex-judge of the Delhi High Court. 

More than 200 people have been killed, several hundred injured and thousands displaced since ethnic violence first broke out in the state on May 3, 2023 when a 'Tribal Solidarity March' was organised in the hill districts to protest against the majority Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe status.