A delegation of six Supreme Court judges to visit relief camps in violence-hit Manipur on March 22

A delegation of six Supreme Court judges, led by Justice BR Gavai, will visit relief camps in violence-hit Manipur on March 22, with the aim of strengthening both legal and humanitarian support for the people impacted by the ongoing crisis.

The delegation, which also includes Justices Surya Kant, Vikram Nath, MM Sundresh, KV Viswanathan, and N Kotishwar, intends to assess the situation on the ground, providing a firsthand evaluation of the impact of the violence, and ensuring that those affected by the turmoil in the state are provided with the necessary support and assistance.

Manipur has been divided into two ethnic enclaves: a valley controlled by the Meitei community and the hills dominated by the Kuki tribe, with a stretch of no-man’s land monitored by federal paramilitary forces serving as a buffer zone between the two areas.


The state is currently under President’s rule, and the ethnic violence, which has been on since May 3, 2023, has left a devastating toll on the population.

At least 258 people have been killed as of November, 2024, and over a thousand have been injured, and more than 60,000 individuals have been displaced from their homes and villages, taking shelter in relief camps set up across different districts.

The violence between the non-tribal Meitei people and the tribal Kuki-Zo communities erupted after a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ was organized in the hill districts to protest the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status, on May 3, 2023.

The unrest has led to severe upheaval in the region, with displaced individuals struggling to rebuild their lives in the relief camps while the state and national authorities work to restore order and stability.