Supreme Court proposes special courts for Manipur violence cases

The Supreme Court of India has directed authorities to examine the establishment of two dedicated trial courts to handle cases stemming from the 2023 Manipur violence. A bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant suggested that one court should exclusively manage cases investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), while a second court would handle matters probed by the National Investigation Agency (NIA).

The court expressed concern regarding whether existing courts are focusing solely on these specific violence-related cases or are also managing unrelated matters. Additionally, the bench instructed state and central security agencies to ensure that investigative agencies can conduct their probes without disruption, emphasizing the need for adequate law-and-order arrangements to facilitate uninterrupted investigations.

According to submissions from the Centre, the CBI has submitted final reports in 27 of the 31 cases assigned to it, while the NIA has filed chargesheets in 15 of the 30 cases under its investigation. Previously, cases related to the unrest have been heard by the Supreme Court, a Gauhati High Court bench, and various local courts in Manipur.