The Supreme Court on Monday refused to hear a plea seeking directions to constitute a new expert commission to aid in resolving the conflict between the Kukis and the Meiteis in Manipur, reported Live Law.

The northeastern state has been marred by ethnic conflict between the Kukis and Meiteis since May 3. The violence has left over 200 persons dead and displaced nearly 60,000 people. Amid the conflict, a few persons from the Naga community in the state have also come under attack.

On Monday, a three judge bench headed by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud was hearing a plea by petitioners Yumlembam Surjit Singh, Keisham Arish and Laishram Momo Singh, reported India Today.

Senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan, appearing for the petitioners, stressed there is need for resolving the conflict with the help of a three-member commission that is headed by a former Supreme Court judge, reported Live Law.

“You’re going to have representatives of various communities at each other’s throats, some accusing the government of India, others accusing the government of Nagaland, nobody is attempting to ensure that there is some truce,” Sankaranarayanan told the court, reported Live Law.

The petitioners also pointed out that no joint meeting has taken place between the representatives of the three communities so far.

However, the Supreme Court said that it had already constituted a committee in August headed by retired Justice Gita Mittal to examine the humanitarian aspects of the conflict in Manipur.

“It’s open to make a representation to the committee,” the bench said. “At this stage, we believe that broad and general reliefs would not result in anything.”

Last month, the committee had expressed concern in its interim report about relatives of those killed in the ethnic violence in Manipur facing pressure from civil society organisations to not accept the bodies and perform the last rites.

However, the allegations were rejected by Kuki groups, the Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum and the Joint Philanthropic Organisation last week. They said that any tribal can walk up to the government and take compensation.

“The tribal organisations have never hampered nor will ever hinder tribals from accepting compensation,” they said in a letter addressed to the Supreme Court-appointed committee.

Also read: Are the Nagas of Manipur finally taking a stand in the Meitei-Kuki conflict?