Led by Justice B.R. Gavai, a six-member delegation of Supreme Court judges arrived in Manipur, a state grappling with ethnic violence, to assess the current situation. The delegation includes Justice B.R. Gavai, Justice Surya Kant, Justice Vikram Nath, Justice M.M. Sundresh, Justice K.V. Viswanathan, and Justice N. Kotiswar. All judges traveled from Imphal to Churachandpur by helicopter. Chief Justice D. Krishnakumar and Justice Golmei Gaiphulshillu of the Manipur High Court welcomed the Supreme Court judges in Imphal.
The Supreme Court delegation had breakfast at the 27 Assam Rifles camp before heading to the relief camp in Churachandpur. Justice N. Kotiswar Singh did not join the other judges in Churachandpur. He stayed back in Imphal, as Churachandpur is primarily a Kuki district, while Justice N. Kotiswar Singh is from the Meitei community. For the past two years, Manipur has been experiencing ethnic violence between these two communities, leading to unrest in the state.
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Before Justice N. Kotiswar Singh's visit, the Churachandpur Bar Association issued a statement expressing that, 'In the interest of peace and public order, judges from the Meitei community should not set foot in our district, even if their names are included in the Supreme Court's six-member delegation.' Consequently, two judges from the Manipur High Court, Justice D. Krishnakumar and Justice Golmei Gaiphulshillu, did not accompany the Supreme Court judges to Churachandpur, as they are also from the Meitei community.
The National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) executive chairman, Justice B.R. Gavai, is set to virtually inaugurate legal service camps and medical camps across all districts in Manipur, as well as new legal aid clinics in Imphal East, Imphal West, and Ukhrul districts.
