Supreme Court directs Manipur government to provide details on restoration of damaged places of worship

The Supreme Court has sought information from the Manipur government to furnish information on restoring places of worship which had been destroyed during the violence that engulfed the state earlier this year. 

The Supreme Court during a hearing on December 15 directed the state government to furnish to the court appointed committee steps it has taken to restore the places of worship which had been destroyed during the ethnic violence. 

The Supreme Court specifically said that the Manipur government shall furnish to the court-appointed committee the identification carried out of destructed places of worship, within two weeks. The apex court further said that the identification shall be across all religious denominations and of all sorts of religious places.

The Supreme Court further said that the Manipur government shall tell the court-appointed committee of steps taken to secure the places of worship.

The top court further said that based on the exercise of identification, the committee shall prepare a comprehensive proposal for a way forward in regard to restoration of places of worship.

The bench added that the committee would be at liberty to take a comprehensive view of the matter including supervening events of encroachment or occupation of places of worship.

The bench comprising Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, Justice JB Pardiwala, and Justice Manoj Misra took record of the assurance by Solicitor General of India, Tushar Mehta, that necessary steps would be taken so that all those in relief camps can celebrate Christmas.

Counsel for the Meitei Christian Churches Council, Huzefa Ahmadi, submitted that the court-appointed committee for rehabilitation in Manipur has made certain recommendations to restore the places of worship and requested the court to accept the same. 

The counsel for the State of Manipur had filed a detailed affidavit as per which the process of identification of destroyed places of worship and subsequent securing of the same had already been done.