The Supreme Court on Friday declared that it cannot operate on emotions and has to function according to the law. The court refused to consider a petition seeking contempt action for the alleged non-compliance of the apex court's order on the protection of the properties of the displaced in the Manipur violence case. The bench of Justice Bela M Trivedi and Justice Pankaj Mithal stated that they are not convinced there is a contempt case against the respondents, including the Chief Secretary of Manipur, and that the petitioners could resort to other legal solutions available.
During the Friday hearing, the vacation bench concluded that the allegations against the respondents, which include Manipur's Chief Secretary, don't establish a contempt case. The petitioners were advised to seek other legal measures provided under the law. Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, representing Manipur, argued before the bench that the state government and central officers are actively engaged on the ground to address public concerns and maintain order. Bhati regretted the attempts by some parties to keep the situation tense, which she described as extremely unfortunate.
The bench inquired into the intricacies of the alleged contempt. It specifically questioned the involvement of the Chief Secretary and other authorities, who were not considered direct encroachers of the related properties. Despite the petitioners' lawyer's arguments about the protection of their properties and the ineffectiveness of local law enforcement, the court stated that issuing a contempt notice against high-level officials is not justified.
Bhati referenced a court order from September 25 of the previous year, giving the state and central governments a week to respond with instructions aimed at protecting the properties of displaced persons and preventing encroachment. She affirmed the state's commitment to the safety of its citizens and their properties and offered to submit an updated status report. The discussion also touched on the current uneasy peace in Manipur, where Bhati noted that both the state and central governments are making efforts to balance conflicting interests and ensure peace.
