New Delhi: The Supreme Court has extended the tenure of the Justice Gita Mittal Committee until July 31, 2026, strengthening its oversight of relief, rehabilitation, and compensation for victims of Manipur’s ethnic violence.
A bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi regularized the panel’s operations since its expiry in July 2025, after amicus curiae Vibha Makhija highlighted 42 submitted reports on victim aid, a report said.
The all-women panel was set up on August 7, 2023, amid outrage over viral videos of sexual violence against women. The panel — comprising former J&K High Court Chief Justice Gita Mittal, Bombay HC Justice Shalini Phansalkar Joshi, and Delhi HC Justice Asha Menon — addresses humanitarian fallout from the Meitei-Kuki clashes that erupted on May 3, 2023. Over 200 deaths, thousands displaced, and widespread destruction persist, with the committee probing violence specifics, survivor needs, and relief camp conditions.
The extension follows recent court directives for reports on relief facilities and criminal probes monitored by former Maharashtra DGP Dattatray Padsalgikar. “Continuation from July 2025 is regularised till July 31, 2026,” the bench ordered, urging ongoing submissions directly to the court, the report said.
The apex court extension comes amid fresh reports of arson and shutdown threats in the disturbed areas of the state.
The panel’s mandate includes women’s violence inquiries post-May 4, 2023, rehabilitation steps, and state compliance, bypassing sluggish local probes deemed “tardy.” Ethnic strife, triggered by Meitei ST status demands, has displaced over 60,000 people, straining inter-community ties.
