A panel headed by former judge Gital Mittal to oversee relief and rehabilitation of victims of violence in Manipur on Monday submitted three reports to the Supreme Court, including one on the need to upgrade the compensation scheme for the strife-torn people of the state.
The committee, set up to oversee relief and rehabilitation of the victims of ethnic violence in Manipur, submitted three reports highlighting the need for reconstruction of identity documents, upgradation of compensation and appointment of domain experts to facilitate its functioning.
The Supreme Court said it will pass orders on Friday to facilitate functioning of the three-member panel.
A bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra said the copy of the three reports be given to all lawyers concerned and directed advocate Vrinda Grover, appearing for one of the victims, to collate suggestions for the panel.
“The reports submitted by the Justice Mittal-led committee shows essential documents need to be re-issued and the Manipur victim compensation scheme needs an upgrade and a nodal administration expert be appointed,” the bench said.
On August 7, the bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra had ordered setting up of the committee of three former women high court judges to oversee relief and rehabilitation of victims and compensation to them besides asking former Maharashtra police chief Dattatray Padsalgikar to monitor the probe in criminal cases.
In a brief hearing, the top court said on Monday the copies of the three reports be given to all lawyers concerned and the counsel assisting Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre and the Manipur government.
It also said the suggestions will be collated by lawyer Vrinda Grover in due consultation with the committee and which shall be shared with the advocate general of Manipur, preferably by 10 am on Thursday, and fixed the pleas for passing of necessary orders on August 25.
“At this moment we will say that the expert committee constituted by this court has filed three reports namely: (1) A report highlighting the fact that several residents of Manipur may have lost their essential documentations which need to be re-constructed; (2) the Manipur victims compensation scheme needs to be upgraded to bring it in conformity with the scheme propounded by NALSA (National Legal Services Authority); 3) The proposal of the committee for the appointment of domain experts to facilitate its work.” The bench said the committee, in one of the three reports, has raised the issue of loss of ID proof including Aadhaar cards of several victims and they needed to be reconstructed.
“Certain procedural directions will be required to facilitate the work of the committee including: (1) Requisite administrative requisitions, (2) Funding to meet the administrative and other expenses of the committee and (3) Necessary publicity to the work that is being done by the committee by setting up a web portal and, (4) other infrastructural requirements,” the order said.
On logistical issues, the CJI said he will talk to Justice Mittal, the former Chief Justice of the Jammu and Kashmir High Court, and the Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court on providing office space to the panel.
“Otherwise, we will request the Union ministry of Home Affairs to identify a place for the panel,” the bench said, adding at the last hearing, it deliberately did not pass directions on these issues as it wanted the committee to raise the necessary points.
The top court had said the committee will be headed by former Jammu and Kashmir High Court Chief Justice Mittal and include Justices (retd) Shalini P Joshi, a former judge of the Bombay High Court, and Asha Menon, an ex-judge of the Delhi High Court.
The bench had said its effort was to restore people’s faith in the rule of law in the strife-torn state.
The bench is hearing around 10 petitions related to the spiralling violence, including those seeking court-monitored probe into cases, besides measures for relief and rehabilitation.
