Chief Justice visits Chandel
Discusses setting up full-fledged District & Sessions Court
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, August 20 2025: The Chief Justice of the High Court of Manipur, Justice K Somasekhar accompanied by Justice A Bimol Singh, Justice A Guneshwar Sharma and Ojesh Mutum, Registrar General of the High Court, visited the Chandel District Court Complex today.

The Chief Justice and his entourage were warmly received by Yumkham Rother, District & Sessions Judge, Imphal West, under whose judicial division the revenue district of Chandel presently falls; along with CJM/Chandel and JMFC/Moreh, and other Court officials.

The reception was also joined by N Keertichand Singh, Secretary (Judicial), Law & Legislative Affairs Department, Manipur and the District Administration led by L Nandakumar Singh, DC/Chandel along with Dharmendra Kumar, SP Chandel; Chandel District Bar Association, led by its president, RT Rebirthson; Khalter Khampa, general secretary of the All Tribal Lawyers' Association and other members of the Bar.

An interactive session was held with stakeholders from the Bar and the District Administration to discuss the feasibility and preparedness for the establishing a full-fledged District & Sessions Court at Chandel.

The deliberations highlighted the aspirations of both the legal fraternity and local residents, who have long demanded improved access to justice in the district.

Currently, Chandel has only the Court of the Chief Judicial Magistrate-cum-Civil Judge (Senior Division), inaugurated in 2012, while a Judicial Magistrate First Class-cum-Civil Judge (Junior Division) is posted at Moreh, which falls under the separate revenue district of Tengnoupal.

Despite Chandel being designated as an "aspirational district", further progress is necessary to strengthen judicial infrastructure, increase manpower, and ensure equitable access to justice for the people of Chandel.

The visit by the Chief Justice and Companion Judges marks a significant step towards addressing these long-standing concerns.

The High Court is actively considering the establishment of a District & Sessions Court at Chandel in alignment with the developmental and judicial needs of the region.

It may be noted that the State Government created the post of District Judge, Chandel in March 2025, laying the administrative foundation for the proposed court.

The High Court reaffirmed its commitment to equitable justice delivery and inclusive access to judicial services across all districts of the State, particularly in remote and aspirational areas like Chandel.

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