Guwahati: The Supreme Court on Tuesday expressed concern over delays in providing legal aid to victims of the 2023 ethnic violence in Manipur, questioning the pace of compliance with its earlier directions.
A Bench led by Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna observed that despite clear instructions issued in February, there had been limited progress in ensuring timely legal assistance and access to key documents such as charge sheets. The court directed the Manipur government and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to immediately appoint legal aid counsel conversant with local languages and ensure that copies of charge sheets are furnished to victims and their families.
The Bench said victims should be given a panel of lawyers to choose from and stressed that legal aid must be made available without further delay. It also noted that in several cases, victims had neither been provided legal representation nor copies of charge sheets, raising concerns over procedural fairness.
Senior advocate Indira Jaising, appearing in the matter, submitted that many accused were not appearing in court proceedings and that victims’ families were being denied access to crucial legal documents. Taking note, the court directed trial courts to ensure that charge sheets are effectively utilised in representing victims and to clarify whether such documents have been duly supplied.
Attorney General R. Venkataramani assured the Bench that the concerns raised would be addressed and that compliance would be ensured.
The apex court also sought updated status reports from investigative agencies and monitoring bodies, including the Manipur Special Investigation Teams (SITs) and a three-member panel headed by former High Court judge Gita Mittal, which has been overseeing relief and rehabilitation measures.
The court recalled that on February 26, it had directed the CBI and SITs to provide charge sheets to victims and ensure that legal aid mechanisms are in place. It had also mandated free legal support, including travel, accommodation and representation, particularly for victims relocated outside the state.
The matter arises from the ethnic violence that broke out in Manipur on May 3, 2023, which claimed over 200 lives and displaced thousands. The case continues to be under judicial scrutiny amid ongoing concerns over justice delivery and rehabilitation efforts.