SC asks Manipur government to file status report on arms recovery

The Supreme Court Wednesday asked the Manipur government and the law enforcement authorities to file a status report on arms recovered from all sources in the violence-hit northeastern state. 

A bench of Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud and Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra said the government should apprise it on the recovery of arms. 

The bench said let a status report be furnished to this court by the government as it was alleged that huge cache of arms have been stolen. 

The top court said the state has to take action irrespective of who is holding the illegal arms. 

“We are not concerned with the illegal arms with the one side or the other….we are dealing with it objectively, the state has to take action, irrespective of source of illegal arms,” the bench said. 

In the matter related to relief and rehabilitation measures, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Manipur government, submitted before the bench that there was no outbreak of chicken pox and measles in relief camps in the state, contrary to submission made by lawyers representing petitioners. 

Manipur chief secretary, in an affidavit, said that there was no short supply of basic commodities like food and medicines for people facing blockade.

The bench noted that the chief secretary has filed an affidavit dealing with availability of rations and essential commodities, including in Moreh, and the alleged outbreak of measles and chickenpox in Moreh.

The bench made it clear that irrespective of who needs food, medicines, and essential commodities, it would be provided. 

The bench further said if any further grievance subsists in regard to specific instances, this should be brought to notice of district administration and the grievances should be dealt with expeditiously.

The top court also directed the Manipur government to file a status report giving details about the steps taken to upgrade the state victims compensation scheme to bring it at par with the NALSA (National Legal Services Authority) scheme. 

The bench was informed that a large number of bodies are lying in morgues and needed to be disposed of in a dignified manner. The bench said the bodies cannot be forever in the morgue as it can trigger an outbreak.