Centre Tells Supreme Court Manipur Is 'Peaceful': Mentions Myanmar Interference

The Supreme Court took up the case pertaining to Manipur Violence, an ethnic conflict that began in May 2023 which was triggered after a Manipur High Court recommendation suggesting consideration of Scheduled Tribe (ST) status for the Meitei community.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, present before court, told the bench that the situation in the state had become better. "The situation is peaceful. Normal movement is happening. Local environment can be better appreciated by High Court..there is some interference from neighbouring Myanmar etc..", the SG stated.

A CJI Surya Kant led bench went on to mull if the Manipur High Court could be entrusted with monitoring the trials in cases registered over the violent clashes that took place in Manipur. "In view of the fact that a new Chief Justice has taken charge in Manipur High Court let there be instructions regarding the same," the Court ordered.

The bench also comprising Justice Joymalya Bagchi has asked for a status report from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on the progress of Manipur violence-related cases.

Senior Advocate Vrinda Grover told the bench that a woman victim who recently passed away, sought substitution of her client by the deceased woman’s mother. She alleged that the CBI had failed to inform the victim about the filing of a chargesheet in her rape case. Grover told the bench, “I have accessed the trial court report… The main accused are not appearing. The CBI is not present… The casualness with which it is happening is shocking".

To this Solicitor General Tushar Mehta responded, “Nobody can oppose what Ms. Grover is saying. The victim's rights cannot be affected.”

Today, Senior Advocate Colin Gonsalves also raised concerns over the rehabilitation of those affected by the violence. Court will now take up the matter on February 26, 2026.

Notably, since 2023, Supreme Court has been monitoring the situation in Manipur since May of 2023 when a video of two women being paraded naked amid the violence went viral, and it took suo motu cognisance of the issue.

Earlier Supreme Court had called out the Manipur state's police forces for carrying out a tardy investigation into the various incidents of violence that occurred throughout the state. Court had also asked the State of Manipur to make due arrangements in the relief camps organised by the government and all necessary precautions must be taken for rehabilitation of displaced persons.

Amidst tensions escalating in the State of Manipur, two Special Leave Petitions (SLPs) were filed before the Supreme Court last month against the High Court's order directing the Centre and the State governments to include the Meetei/Meitei community of the State in the Scheduled Tribe list of the Indian Constitution as a "tribe" of Manipur.

It alleged that 30 tribal persons were killed by the dominant community and 132 were not a single FIR has been filed. “Neither FIR was registered nor is there any investigation taking place as the police itself is on the side of the dominant community and has stood by idle while the killings took place”, it added.

The plea filed by Manipur Tribal Forum has sought directions to the Centre and the State to evacuate the Manipuri Tribals who fled to CRPF Lamphel Camp (3500 people), CRPF Camp near the DC office (700 people approximately), Koirengei Camp (300 people) as well as small pockets of tribals held up in Imphal (both east and west) as well as the villages surrounding Imphal Valley and take them to their respective Hill District under central forces escort to their respective areas of residence in the hill districts.

On April 19, 2023, a Bench of Acting Chief Justice M.V. Muralidaran of the Manipur High Court ordered the Manipur government to “consider the inclusion of the Meetei/Meitei community in the Scheduled Tribe list, expeditiously, preferably within a period four weeks” from the date of the order. This led to clashes between tribal and non-tribal communities.

Case Title: DINGANGLUNG GANGMEI vs. MUTUM CHURAMANI MEETEI & ORS.

Bench: CJI Kant and Justice Bagchi

Hearing Date: February 13, 2026