In a significant development concerning ongoing efforts to address the aftermath of sectarian violence in Manipur, the Supreme Court on Wednesday extended the tenure of the court-appointed high-level committee led by Justice Gita Mittal till July 31, 2026.
A bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant noted that no formal extension of the committee’s mandate had been recorded since its previous tenure lapsed in July 2025, making it necessary to regularise its continued functioning. Accordingly, the Court ordered a formal extension for another year.
The Justice Mittal Committee was constituted by the Supreme Court in August 2023 using its plenary powers under Articles 32 and 142 of the Constitution. This move came in response to reports of widespread ethnic violence in Manipur, particularly instances of gender-based atrocities including sexual assault.
The panel comprises:
- Justice Gita Mittal, former Chief Justice of the Jammu & Kashmir High Court (Chairperson)
- Justice Shalini Phansalkar Joshi, former Judge of the Bombay High Court
- Justice Asha Menon, former Judge of the Delhi High Court
The committee was tasked with ensuring justice and institutional support for victims, especially women survivors of sexual violence. Its mandate includes:
- Providing legal aid and psychosocial support
- Supervising the grant of compensation and restitution for victims of physical and property damage
- Issuing binding directions to the State of Manipur for compensation disbursal under Section 357A CrPC and victim compensation schemes
- Submitting fortnightly status reports directly to the Supreme Court for ongoing oversight
The panel was to function on a victim-centric and rights-based model, aligned with constitutional guarantees and international obligations, particularly under CEDAW (Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women).
In previous hearings, the Supreme Court had expressed grave concern over the targeted sexual violence against women, calling it a “gross violation of constitutional morality” and fundamental rights under Articles 14, 19, and 21.
The Court had recalled its landmark rulings in Bodhisattwa Gautam v. Subhra Chakraborty and Nipun Saxena v. Union of India, reaffirming that the State bears a non-derogable obligation to prevent such crimes and protect the dignity of women.
The court had taken suo motu cognisance in July 2023 after a disturbing video surfaced showing two tribal women paraded naked and sexually assaulted. The survivors later approached the Court, alleging that Manipur Police colluded with the perpetrators instead of protecting them.
Finding the police response “tardy”, the Court criticised the delay in registering FIRs in cases involving murder, rape, and arson, which it found to be a clear breach of criminal procedure and judicial precedent.
While declining to form a Special Investigation Team (SIT), the Court appointed former IPS officer Dattatray Padsalgikar to monitor ongoing investigations. To ensure fair trial, it also directed that cases of sexual violence transferred to the CBI be tried in designated courts in Guwahati, Assam, under orders from the Chief Justice of the Gauhati High Court.
The apex court has reaffirmed that these trials will proceed in Guwahati, stressing that justice for the survivors must be swift, impartial, and immune from local pressures.
