Asem Bhakta
Special Correspondent North East
Imphal (Warri Singbul Networks): Hon’ble Mr. Justice N. Kotiswar Singh, a Meitei Supreme Court judge, was excluded from Churachandpur during a visit by a five-member Supreme Court delegation to Manipur, led by Hon’ble Mr. Justice B.R. Gavai. The delegation aimed to inaugurate legal aid clinics and medical camps for internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Churachandpur and Bishnupur districts. However, the Churachandpur District Bar Association initially barred Meitei judges, citing “peace and public order” concerns, before retracting the statement amid backlash. Despite the reversal, the association warned that civil society organizations (CSOs) pushing for a separate Kuki-Zo administration might create “unfavorable situations.” Consequently, Justice Singh opted not to visit Churachandpur.
This unprecedented incident has sparked alarm over the erosion of the rule of law in Manipur, particularly in Chin-Kuki-Zo-dominated districts like Churachandpur, Kangpokpi, and Tengnoupal. It follows the failure of Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s directive to ensure free movement on Manipur’s highways, which collapsed due to protests in Kangpokpi. The exclusion of Justice Singh, part of a delegation including Justices Vikram Nath, M.M. Sundresh, and K.V. Viswanathan, underscores the ethnic divide crippling the state since May 2023. Neither state nor Union authorities have acted decisively, raising concerns about their ability to enforce legal authority.
Legal experts warn that barring a Supreme Court judge based on ethnicity sets a dangerous precedent, signaling a breakdown of constitutional order in these regions. Justice Singh, reflecting on his absence from Churachandpur, stated, “I have no regrets about not going to the Kuki-majority area.” As Manipur’s ethnic crisis deepens, this episode questions the prospects for restoring peace and justice when even the judiciary faces such constraints.
