The Supreme Court on Friday directed the Manipur government to inform a court-appointed committee about the steps it has taken to secure places of worship in the state, reported Live Law.
In August, the court had constituted a committee of three former High Court judges headed by Justice Gita Mittal to oversee relief and rehabilitation measures in the conflict-hit state.
Manipur has been marred by ethnic conflict between the Kukis and the Meiteis since May 3. The violence has left 175 persons dead, according to police figures.
On Friday, a bench headed by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud was hearing a plea by the Meitei Christian Churches Council, which said that the court-appointed committee had made certain recommendations to restore places of worship. Appearing for the council, Huzefa Ahmadi clarified that the body was seeking that the places of worship of all communities be restored.
The court recorded an assurance by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta that steps would be taken so that all those in relief camps can celebrate the Christmas festival.
In September, the three-member committee of former judges said that religious sites should be protected from encroachment as well as from damage or destruction. The panel also called on the Manipur government to “ensure the protection of the properties of the displaced persons as well as the properties which have been destroyed/burnt in the violence and prevent their encroachment”.
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