New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday (December 9), while emphasising the need for the State of Manipur to address the grievances of the displaced persons during the ethnic violence in the state and take steps to restore their properties, asked the sate government to submit a detailed sealed cover report on buildings burnt or partially burnt, buildings looted, buildings trespassed or encroached upon during the violence in the state.
A bench comprising Chief Justice of India (CJI) and Justice Sanjay Kumar directed the Manipur government to also provide information about the owners and current occupants of the above-mentioned properties and what legal actions has been taken against trespassers.
What did the apex court say?
“We direct the state government (Manipr) to provide the following details: 1. Buildings burnt and partially burnt, 2. buildings which are looted; and (3) the buildings trespassed and encroached upon. In all these, give details of the name and address of the owner as well as the person, if any, in occupation of the property. The report shall also indicate the steps taken by the state government to ensure that the persons who have trespassed are proceeded against as per the law. The said list be given in a sealed cover. You have to take a decision on how you want to deal with it or in terms of criminal action as well as to ask them (encroachers of the properties) to pay ‘mesne profits’ (compensation paid to a rightful owner of a property) for the use of the occupation,” the bench said.
Apex court also sough Manipur government’s response on issue of release of funds for temporary and permanent housing
The top court also sought the response of the Manipur government on the issue of release of funds for temporary and permanent housing as flagged by a three-member High Power Committee (HPC) comprising of three former women high court judges and headed by former Jammu and Kashmir High Court Chief Justice Mittal.
Apex Court last year passed a slew of directions
The apex court, while taking note of pleas related to the ethnic violence in Manipur, had passed a slew of directions in August last year and had ordered setting up a three-member committee to look into diverse aspects of ethnic violence in Manipur, including overseeing relief and rehabilitation of the victims and compensation to them. The tenure of the committee was extended by the top court by six months in August.
