Manipur Violence: SC To Hear State's Plea Against Manipur High Court's Order Allowing Limited Internet Restoration On July 17

The Supreme Court today agreed to hear on July 17, 2023, the plea filed by the State of Manipur challenging the order of the Manipur High Court directing the state government to provide limited internet services in some designated places.

The Bench of Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud, Justice P.S. Narasimha and Justice Manoj Misra agreed to post the matter for consideration after Advocate Kanu Agrawal along with Advocate-on-Record Ashutosh Dubey appearing for the State of Manipur mentioned the matter seeking an urgent hearing.

"It's a fresh matter related to the internet ban", submitted Agrawal. Agreeing to consider the matter, the CJI posted it for Monday. 

The State of Manipur approached the Supreme Court in the Special Leave Petition filed against the High Court orders which were passed while hearing a bunch of Public Interest Litigations seeking the restoration of internet services in the state. The Manipur High Court while directing the state government to provide limited internet services noted that the internet is necessary for people to carry out urgent and essential work, especially in regard to the ongoing admission process of students. The orders were passed in

The internet ban had been continuing in the state since May 3 in the wake of violence between the Kukis and Meities following a High Court direction to consider granting Scheduled Tribe status to the Meities. 

Recently, on July 6, 2023, the Supreme Court had refused to entertain a plea by two Manipur residents against repeated internet shutdowns in the state rocked by ethnic violence and gave them the liberty to approach the High Court on the matter. It was noted that a division bench of the Manipur High Court is already seized of the matter in which an expert committee was formed and directed to examine whether the internet could be restored in the state.

The plea said the shutdown was "grossly disproportionate" in its interference with the constitutional right to freedom of speech and expression, and the right to carry on any trade or business using the constitutionally protected medium of the internet.

More than 100 people have lost their lives in the violence between Meitei and Kuki communities in Manipur. Clashes first broke out in Manipur on May 3 after a 'Tribal Solidarity March' was organized in the hill districts to protest against the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.

Cause Title: State of Manipur vs. Aribam Dhanajoy Sharma [SLP (C) No.14732/23]