New Delhi: More than two years after ethnic clashes broke out in Manipur and engulfed the state in persistent fear and uncertainty, the Supreme Court on Friday (July 24) has proposed the setting up of dedicated courts to hear cases emerging out of the 2023 violence. The bench, comprising Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohana, floated the idea of continually running trials instead of the sporadic sittings that have marked the proceedings till now.Taking note of the status reports filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Special Investigation Team (SIT), the bench observed that the security situation on ground has made it difficult to trace and question witnesses, several of whom have been relocated or displaced. The court further noted that, owing to the prolonged suspension of internet services in the state and curbs on the movement of investigating officers, digital evidence collection has repeatedly faced hurdles causing slowdown.According to a report by The Hindu, the CBI has filed charge sheets in 21 cases, while investigations are ongoing in 11 cases. Meanwhile, SIT inquires across the state have resulted in charge sheets in only 301 of the 3020 cases registered, with trails commencing in only a few.“We tentatively propose to constitute special courts with the concurrence of the State of Manipur and the High Courts of Manipur and Guwahati in order that trials can be taken up on a day-to-day basis especially in light of the inordinate delay that has already taken place in the ongoing investigation,” the court said, as per The Hindu.The court asked the additional solicitor general, representing the state alongside the CBI and SIT, to compile a comprehensive list of cases that have reached the charge sheet-stage as opposed to those that were still being probed, calling the exercise essential to understand how many special courts would be needed.Alongside the establishment of new courts, the bench directed the investigators to complete pending inquires and file outstanding charge sheets. It also asked Manipur’s Chief Secretary Puneet Kumar Goel and Director General of Police Mukesh Singh to support the CBI and SIT in clearing these obstacles.When advocate Vrinda Grover raised the question of two victims of sexual violence cases who still had not received charge sheet copies despite earlier orders, the court said:“We direct the legal aid counsel, the Member Secretary of the State Legal Services Authority, Manipur, and the Gauhati State Legal Services Authority to immediately contact the office of the Chief Justice of the High Court of Manipur as well as the office of the Chief Justice of the Gauhati High Court for the supply of chargesheets wherever the same have been filed but are yet to be supplied to the victims’ families or the legal aid counsel. It goes without saying that the authorities will ensure the supply of the chargesheets as early as possible, and no later than one week from the date the legal aid counsel contacts them.”The investigating agencies have also been ordered to file new status reports before the date of the next hearing.