MB Report
Imphal: The Supreme Court has fixed the next hearing of the PIL regarding the ban on the entry and movement of Mao community by Southern Angami People Organization (SAPO) and Southern Angami Youth Organization (SAYO) on May 4.
It may be recalled that Convenor of Mao Imphal Market Coordination Committee, Imphal Khuraijam Athouba filed a PIL with the Supreme Court on March 13, 2023 regarding the ban on the entry and movement of Mao community by Southern Angami community namely Southern Angami People Organization (SAPO) and Southern Angami Youth Organization (SAYO).
The third hearing of the PIL was held on April 5 before the Court of Chief Justice of India, Justice D.Y Chandrachud and Justice J.B. Pardiwala.
Convenor of Mao Imphal Market Coordination Committee, Imphal Khuraijam Athouba in a statement said that after hearing the petitioner’s Counsel, Ngangom Junior Luwang, Advocate, the Central Government of India through the Learned Solicitor General of India, Tushar Mehta assured the Supreme Court that the issues/grievances raised by Khuraijam Athouba are being discussed and looked into at the appropriate level and some decision is likely to be arrived at within three weeks.
The learned Solicitor General sought three week time and accordingly, the Supreme Court fixed the next hearing of the matter on May 4, 2023, said the release.
It may be mentioned that apart from raising specific grievances of the Mao community, the PIL has also raised other important issues of the public importance and sought the Supreme Court’s appropriate directions to the Central Government and the concerned State Governments of Nagaland and Manipur, to take appropriate steps against all persons or organisations responsible for the various acts of violence during the ban on entry and movement of Mao Tribe through Southern Angami settlement areas in Nagaland and most specifically, act on the FIR(s) lodged with the concerned police stations in Nagaland; extend necessary relief/compensation to affected people, who have lost assets and business during the blockade.
The PIL also sought to declare SAPO and SAYO as unlawful associations under Section 3 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967; to conduct judicial Administrative enquiries into the various lapses on the part of the law enforcement agencies and administrative machinery during the ban on movement and entry of Mao community through Southern Angami settlement areas and to direct the Central Government and the concerned State Governments to secure National Highways in Manipur, Nagaland in particular and the North East in general so that no such act or blockade is repeated in future.
