The Supreme Court was informed on Tuesday that a panel led by former Jammu and Kashmir High Court Chief Justice Gita Mittal is currently reviewing transfer appeals from students of the National Institute of Technology (NIT) Manipur, who seek relocation to universities outside the conflict-ridden state.The court, comprising Justices JB Pardiwala, Manoj Misra, and Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud, has mandated that the state provide housing for these students. Senior counsel Vibha Dutta Makhija, representing the panel, updated the court on the progress, stating that Justice Mittal was actively engaging with various authorities regarding the students’ transfer requests. Makhija highlighted, “We are assessing the legitimacy of the students’ transfer requests. In some cases, legal conditions may need to be fulfilled.” She requested that the plea be rescheduled for two weeks, a request granted by the bench.
Chief Justice Chandrachud noted that the Justice Mittal Committee had been in contact with relevant officials and confirmed that the case would be listed on August 27. The bench also acknowledged another attorney’s request to form a committee to oversee the education of displaced students. The Supreme Court had earlier directed the Mittal-led committee to address grievances of displaced students from Manipur University seeking permanent transfers to other central universities. This follows a previous order in November 2023, where the court provided options for the students to continue their education online, at Assam University, Silchar, or at North Eastern Hill University, Shillong.
The committee, established on August 7 last year, includes Justices (retd) Shalini P Joshi and Asha Menon, and is tasked with overseeing relief, rehabilitation, and compensation efforts. The court has directed that reports be submitted directly to it, as it continues to monitor the ethnic conflict and its aftermath. Since the outbreak of violence on May 3, 2023, triggered by a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ against the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe status, the conflict has claimed over 200 lives, injured hundreds, and displaced thousands.
