Manipur High Court Seeks Response From State, Centre In Plea For Compensation To Kuki Women Injured By Paramilitary Forces During Protest
The Manipur High Court recently asked the Central Government as well as the State Government to file counter-affidavits in a petition seeking compensation to Kuki women who were allegedly injured by the para-military forces during a protest in Saibol village in Manipur's Kangpokpi district.
The petitioner organisation approached the Court with multiple prayers for registration of FIR, grant of prosecution sanction, investigation by the SIT and compensation to the injured persons who were allegedly injured in an action by the security forces during a protest in Saibol village last year. The protest was against what the women alleged was the forceful occupation of community bunkers by security personnel.
However, the bench of Justice A. Guneshwar Sharma only issued notice to the State respondents to the prayer for compensation to the victims.
The Advocate General submitted that at this stage, notice to the respondent Nos. 7 to 9 who are impleaded on personnel capacity and who are personnel of the CRPF, may not be issued at this stage, as it will affect the morale of other security forces in discharging duties in the present situation in Manipur.
The Central Government Counsel appearing on behalf of respondent No. 4 (i.e. CRPF), submitted that he may be permitted to take instructions for filing an appropriate application for deleting individual personnel included in the present writ petition, and only the official respondent may be permitted to contest the case, if any.
Senior Advocate Anand Grover, appearing for the petitioner, conceded that the Court may pass an appropriate order in view of the submissions made by the Advocate General and Central Government Counsel.
“Considering the submissions made at the bar, notice to respondent Nos. 7 to 9 is deferred. Official respondents are permitted to file counter affidavit within three weeks and rejoinder affidavit, if any, within two weeks,” the Court said.
The matter is again listed on October 17.
Case No.: WP(C) No. 740 of 2025
Case Title: Kuki Women Organisation for Human Rights Trust v. State of Manipur & 8 Ors.