Are We In A State Of War ? Supreme Court tongue lashes State Govt
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, November 23 2012: Rapping the State Government on the knuckles for the second time in less than 20 days, the Supreme Court today asked, "How can a State Government file an affidavit stating that they are killing 'us' and so we are killing 'them'.

Are we in a state of war ?" .

The latest tongue lashing comes close on the heels of the "Do it quickly.

People are dying out there.

File your report by November 19" instructions issued by the Supreme Court on November 5, when the State Government failed to file its response to the PIL filed by the Extrajudicial Execution Victim Families Association, Manipur.

Listed as number 7 in Court number 4 of the Supreme Court, the two Judge bench of the apex Court referred to the section asking the National Human Rights Commission to respond to the cases taken up by them, and questioned the counsel of the State Government, "Are you trying to make the National Human Rights Commission an alibi to all the killings ? " .

Supreme Court : Highest seat of justice in India

Taking serious note of the matter, the Supreme Court asked the Additional Solicitor General of India to be present in the Court.

After the matter was passed over, the Court ordered the Centre and the National Human Rights Commission to file their affidavit and fixed December 4 as the date of the next hearing in the presence of the Additional Solicitor General of India.

The PIL filed by EEVFAM was admitted in the Supreme Court on October 1 this year and the Court had directed the Centre, the State Government as well as the National Human Rights Commission to file their replies by November 5 this year.

After the State Government sought more time, the date was extended to November 23 .

This was the third time that the matter has come up for hearing in the Supreme Court.

The EEVFAM is a body formed by families whose kith and kins were allegedly executed summarily.

Setting up of a Special Investigation Team to probe the charges of extra-judicial killings, is one of the pleas put up by the EEVFAM.

The members of the proposed SIT are to be drawn from outside the State of Manipur and men and women of proven integrity, EEVFAM had pleaded.

More than 1500 cases of extra-judicial killings is the alleged figure put up by the EEVFAM before the Supreme Court.

Senior Advocate Colin Gonsalves is appearing on behalf of the petitioners.