Supreme Court to hear pleas related to Manipur violence on July 11

It will also hear tomorrow the Manipur government’s plea against High Court order allowing the restoration of internet in the state.

The Supreme Court on Monday said it cannot take over the law and order machinery and would neither let the proceedings before it to escalate the situation in the violence-affected Manipur.

Taking up a matter concerning the ongoing trouble in the state, a bench of Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud and Justice P S Narasimha sought to know concrete and positive suggestions from the parties.

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"We don't want these proceedings or the platform of this court to escalate the situation or furthering violence. We cannot take over and law and order apparatus on the ground. It is for the elected government to take care of everything," the bench said.

The court's observation came as senior advocate Colin Gonsalves, appearing for Manipur Tribal Forum and others, sought to raise the issue of killings of Kukis in the state.

"It is a state-sponsored violence against Kukis," he said.

"Let us not do it in partisan manner. We are ready to take up concrete suggestions," the bench said.

The court asked the counsel to come up with concrete suggestions as Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Manipur government, submitted a fresh status report about the situation in the state.

"Have a look at the status report and come back with some concrete positive suggestion," the bench said.

Gonsalves said there is an escalation of violence by the armed groups notified under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and they were being used by the state against tribals.

"This is not the platform where we do this. We should be conscious of the remit of the Supreme Court. We cannot run the law and order, the elected government does it," the bench said.

As a lawyer said Gonsalves should not give interview to the media in the instant case being argued by him, the bench said there is an enormous responsibility on counsel appearing in the matter.

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One of the counsels raised the issue of state government issuing circular of June 26 asking the employees to join back the duty or disciplinary proceedings would ensue against them. He contended the situation is not fully normal for the staff to join the duties.

The bench said it would consider the matter on Tuesday.

The court sought to know the action taken on large number of weapons taken away from the police stations.

Over 120 people reportedly lost their lives and several hundreds others injured in the ethnic violence in Manipur as clashes broke out in the Northeastern state on May 3 after the High Court's judgement to consider granting Scheduled Tribes (ST) status to Hindu Meitei community.

The matter before the court arose out of the challenges to the High Court's order.