Manipur: 38 Families Deny Compensation, Supreme Court Panel Requests Prohibiting Civil Society Orgs From Interfering

At least 38 families affected by the Manipur ethnic violence have reportedly rejected the government's Rs 10 lakh compensation for the deceased, Indian Express reported.

The Supreme Court-appointed panel, led by former Jammu and Kashmir High Court Chief Justice Gita Mittal, is said to have approached the court seeking directions to "prohibit" civil society organisations from "interfering with and/or obstructing" the compensation process.

While the district administration is attempting to persuade the families, the committee has sought court directives for the 38 families to accept the ex-gratia amounts.

In its 14th report submitted on 21 October, the committee requested the court to "prohibit Civil Society Organizations from interfering with and/or obstructing the Next of Kin in accepting the ex-gratia amounts."

The committee informed the Supreme Court that, according to the state government's data as of 7 October, 175 death cases have been reported, with identification completed in 169 cases.

Of these, 81 bodies have been claimed by victims' families, while 88 remain unclaimed. The state government is reportedly making efforts to identify the remaining six bodies.

Out of the 169 identified cases, direct benefit transfer compensation has been made in 73 cases. Verification is pending in 58 cases, and 38 families have expressed unwillingness to receive the assistance, citing pressure from Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) like ITLF, JPO, KIM, etc.

Of the 38 families declining compensation, 13 are in Churachandpur and Imphal West districts each, nine in Kangpokpi, and three in Tengnoupal districts.

The case is scheduled to be heard by a bench headed by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud on 4 December. The Manipur government had announced an ex-gratia of Rs 10 lakh, with half contributed by the state government and the remaining amount by the Union home ministry.