The Supreme Court on Monday directed a three-member committee appointed by it to conduct field verification of claims that almost 24,000 families displaced in the 2023 Manipur ethnic violence have not obtained rehabilitation or welfare assistance, and asked state and central agencies to consider procedural measures to speed up justice and relief.
Bench seeks verification, flags trial arrangements
A bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant, with Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana, recorded submissions that many of those affected — particularly members of tribal communities — remain excluded from benefit rolls. The court asked the committee to check the particulars of the alleged families at the ground level and report back.
"If that is so, we request the committee to verify and confirm the particulars of the alleged affected," the bench said, according to court proceedings.
The bench also directed the Manipur and Assam governments and other concerned authorities to examine proposals for creating two special trial courts to exclusively hear cases registered by the CBI and the NIA arising out of the 2023 violence.
What the court noted on relief disbursal
During hearings, the court took note of the steps already taken by government agencies for rehabilitation. It recorded that more than 4,000 beneficiaries have been paid funds for reconstruction out of roughly 7,000 identified beneficiaries for rebuilding houses. The court also said that over 12,000 houses have been approved under the Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana–Gramin (PMAY-G) for families impacted by the unrest.
Specific disbursement items recorded in court documents include:
- ₹51.95 crore released for 885 identified beneficiaries for construction of permanent houses.
- ₹1 lakh given per household to families whose houses were fully damaged.
- The government scheme provides ₹5 lakh for reconstruction of a kutcha house and ₹7 lakh for a semi-pucca or pucca house.
Counsel and committee submissions
Senior advocates including Colin Gonsalves brought to the bench’s attention allegations that a significant number of affected tribals had not received the benefits to which they were entitled. Senior counsel Vibha Dutt Makhija, appearing for the Justice Gita Mittal Committee, also placed material before the court detailing steps taken and the list of families flagged for assistance.
The three-member panel headed by Justice (retired) Gita Mittal — constituted earlier by the top court — has been tasked with on-ground verification and with filing a report on the extent of unmet claims and the genuineness of entries on various beneficiary lists, the court recorded.
Numbers at a glance
| Item | Figure |
|---|---|
| Families alleged to be yet unpaid | ~24,000 |
| Beneficiaries paid for house reconstruction | >4,000 (out of ~7,000 identified) |
| Houses approved under PMAY-G | >12,000 |
| Funds released for permanent houses | ₹51.95 crore for 885 beneficiaries |
What this could mean on the ground
If the committee’s verification confirms a substantial shortfall between those eligible and those who have actually received assistance, the court’s directions could lead to accelerated disbursals, fresh inclusion drives and administrative corrections in beneficiary databases. The suggestion to establish dedicated trial courts for CBI and NIA cases, if pursued, would aim to fast-track judicial disposal of criminal matters arising from the 2023 unrest.
The court’s intervention underlines a continuing judicial oversight of both relief distribution and prosecution related to the violence. The verification exercise is intended to produce an authoritative record of unmet claims that the court can use to direct further remedial measures.
Next steps
- The three-member committee will verify the lists and particulars submitted to it, including the alleged 24,000 unpaid families.
- The committee will file its findings before the Supreme Court for further directions.
- State authorities and the Centre will consider the proposal for separate trial courts for CBI and NIA cases.
The Supreme Court’s observations came during a hearing on rehabilitation of persons who lost homes and livelihoods in the 2023 Manipur violence. The matter remains under judicial scrutiny pending the committee’s verification report and subsequent orders from the bench.
