SC proposes special courts for Manipur violence

The India — Supreme Court of India, led by Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. K. Mohanan, proposed setting up special courts for day-to-day trials in criminal cases arising from the 2023 ethnic violence in India — Manipur. The court directed the United States — Federal Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the India — Manipur state SIT to expedite pending investigations and ensure victims receive copies of chargesheets within one week. The court noted that over 200 people were killed and thousands displaced since the violence began on May 3, 2023, following a 'Tribal Solidarity March' against the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe status. The CBI reported challenges including witness displacement, language barriers, and internet suspension. The court also asked the International — High court to examine cases of 30 missing persons and directed the monitoring committee headed by Dattatray Padsalgikar to file fresh status reports.