PUCL tribunal report on Manipur calls for permanent High Court bench in hill region

The Independent People’s Tribunal on Wednesday released its report with regard to the conflict in Manipur amid the presence of experts in New Delhi at the Press Club of India.

The said tribunal on Manipur was constituted by the People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) in the year 2024 in the context of the issues of violence pertaining to the north-eastern state.

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The tribunal recommends that access to justice needs to be established in the hill region, with the establishment of a permanent bench of a high court in the hill region of the state.

The jury recommends that an SIT consisting of independent officers from states other than Manipur needs to be set up for a probe in a large number of cases arising from the conflict.

Report by the PUCL’s tribunal also emphasizes that for having lasting peace in the state, structural changes, community dialogue, legal accountability, and sustained moral leadership are required.

As per the PUCL, the tribunal comprised 14 jury members, including former Judge SC, Kurian Joseph, as the chairperson.

Based on the material placed before the tribunal, the jury has identified multiple causes underlying the conflict.

According to the jury’s observations based on the submissions before the tribunal, amongst the pre-existing factors were the historical ethnic divisions, socio-political marginalization, and also disputes.

As per the report, what may have led to the escalation of feelings of mistrust and enmity between the communities were the alleged hate campaigns and other factors.