HC deletes part of earlier order on inclusion of Meiteis in ST list

The Manipur high court on Wednesday deleted a portion of an earlier order passed by it in March last year directing the state government to consider inclusion of the Meitei community in the Scheduled Tribe (ST) list -- an important step amid a bitter ethnic conflict in the state that has claimed at least 215 lives and displaced around 50,000 people since May last year.

- Utpal Parashar

The high court order passed on March 27 is believed to be one of the main triggers for the clashes between the tribal Kuki community, who largely live in the hill districts, and the dominant Meiteis, who largely live in the plains.

Acting on a review petition filed by six members of Meetei (Meitei) Tribe Union, (the same people who had filed a petition last year seeking inclusion of the community in the ST list), justice Golmei Gaiphulshillu passed another order on Wednesday deleting portions of the March 2023 order.

In its March 27 order, the HC order had said: "The first respondent (the Manipur government) shall consider the case of the petitioners for inclusion of the Meetei/Meitei community in the scheduled tribe (ST) list, expeditiously, preferably within a period of four weeks from the date of receipt of a copy of this order."