SC Issues Notice On Plea Filed By Kuki Students Seeking Relocation To Different Central Universities

The Bench comprising Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud, Justice J.B. Pardiwala and Justice Manoj Misra said, “Issue Notice, make it returnable early. … We have already passed an order in other groups of matters of Manipur asking the Government of India to ensure that they are rehoused in some central university… we should have passed general orders to apply so we don't have to keep students coming here all the time.”

The counsel for the Petitioner submitted, “I want to indicate that this is not an adversarial petition. We are grateful that the Manipur Rifles gave us refuge and took us to safe places. All we are now faced with is…as far as the 30 students are concerned, 17 are living in refugee camps. They cannot go back to…”

Previously, the Supreme Court on December 14, 2023, in a different Writ Petition filed by Manipur University Welfare Society, had directed to form a committee headed by Justice Gita Mittal and permitted the students to place any subsisting grievance before the Committee. The present petition was filed for similar directions for relocation to different central universities.

The Court had directed, “The Committee after duly inquiring into the grievance and engaging with the State administration, would be at liberty to submit its report before this Court for further directions as may be necessary to facilitate the interest of education of the students who have been displaced for the time being.”

The petition covered a total of two hundred and eighty-four students who are pursuing their studies at Manipur University, Imphal. These students whose cause is espoused in the petition are stated to have relocated to different parts of the country consequent upon the violence which took place in the State in May 2023 and the continuing violence thereafter. Their grievance is that they are unable to pursue their course of studies at Manipur University and, hence should be relocated to alternate central universities.

The Court also had directed “In order to facilitate the students for seeking admission to any of the two Universities at their option, the Manipur University has notified a Nodal Officer. The details of the Nodal Officer shall be placed on the website of the Manipur University. Any student who desires to take admission at any of the two central Universities referred to above, would be at liberty to contact the Nodal Officer of the Manipur University, who shall take necessary steps to facilitate the process of admission and relocation…The third option of pursuing online classes is in the alternate available to those students who wish to do so.”

Cause Title: Kuki Students Organisation Delhi Vs. The Union Of India (W.P.(C) No. 165/2024)