Justice Mittal Panel Reviews Manipur NIT Students' Transfer Pleas

A panel of former high court judges, led by Justice Gita Mittal, is reviewing pleas from Manipur NIT students to transfer to out-of-state institutes due to ethnic violence. The Supreme Court was informed that the panel is engaging with authorities to facilitate these transfers, with outcomes expected soon.

A panel of three former high court judges, led by Justice Gita Mittal, is currently assessing transfer requests from Manipur NIT students due to ethnic violence in the state, the Supreme Court reported on Tuesday.

The bench, including Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, stated that the state is obligated to accommodate the students. Senior advocate Vibha Dutta Makhija, representing the panel, confirmed that Justice Mittal is in coordination with various authorities regarding the students' transfer requests.

"We are verifying the legitimacy of the students' transfer claims," said the senior lawyer, noting that some cases might require statutory compliance. The court agreed to review the plea after a fortnight.

"Justice Gita Mittal Committee is in active discussions with the relevant authorities. We'll schedule the hearing on August 27," the CJI confirmed.

The court also acknowledged another lawyer's application for forming a committee to supervise the education of displaced students. "The Justice Gita Mittal Committee has received numerous transfer requests," the lawyer mentioned, adding that Manipur University students had also made similar appeals. The bench stated they might issue directions if the panel finds the task overwhelming.

Previously, on August 5, the top court extended Justice Mittal's committee's tenure by six months to oversee relief and rehabilitation efforts in Manipur. The committee, led by former Jammu and Kashmir High Court Chief Justice Mittal, also includes Justices Shalini P Joshi and Asha Menon.

(With inputs from agencies.)