Manipur High Court
Rk Jibanlata Devi vs State Of Manipur & 3 Ors on 27 April, 2026
Author: A. Bimol Singh
Bench: A. Bimol Singh
Digitally signed by
KHOIROM KHOIROM
Item No. 1 - 10
BIPINCHAN BIPINCHANDRA
SINGH
DRA SINGH Date: 2026.04.28 IN THE HIGH COURT OF MANIPUR
03:35:44 +05'30'
AT IMPHAL
W.P.(C) No. 137 of 2026
RK Jibanlata Devi
... Petitioner
- Versus -
State of Manipur & 3 Ors.
... Respondents
With M[W.P.(C)] No. 142 of 2026
With MC[W.P.(C)] No. 181 of 2026
With MC[W.P.(C)] No. 299 of 2026
With MC[W.P.(C)] No. 70 of 2025
With MC[W.P.(C)] No. 72 of 2026
With W.P.(C) No. 175 of 2026
With W.P.(C) No. 316 of 2025
With W.P.(C) No. 66 of 2026
With W.P.(C) No. 79 of 2025
BEFORE
HON'BLE THE CHIEF JUSTICE MR. M. SUNDAR
HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE A. BIMOL SINGH
O R D E R
[M. Sundar, CJ]
27.04.2026
[1] Read this in conjunction with and in continuation of earlier
proceedings made in the previous listings, more particularly, proceedings
made in the listings on 26.02.2026 and 06.04.2026 which read as
follows:
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‘26.02.2026[1] Read this in conjunction with and in continuation of earlier
proceedings made in the previous listing on 18.02.2026 which
reads as follows :
‘18.02.2026.
[1] Read this in conjunction with and in continuation of
earlier proceedings made in the previous listing yesterday
i.e., 17.02.2026 which reads as follows:
‘17.02.2026.
[1] In the captioned cluster, there are four ‘Writ
Petitions’ (‘WPs’ in plural and ‘WP’ in singular for the
sake of convenience), the details of which are as
follows:
(i) W.P. (C) No. 79 of 2025 (I WP)
(ii) W.P. (C) No. 316 of 2025 (II WP)
(iii) W.P. (C) No. 66 of 2026 (III WP)
(iv) W.P. (C) No. 137 of 2026 (IV WP)
[2] As regards I & II WPs, Mr. Syed Murtaza
Ahmed, learned counsel on record for writ
petitioners, led by learned senior counsel, Mr. HS
Paonam in I WP and learned senior counsel, Mr. N.
Jotendro in II WP, in III WP, Mr. Niraj B Paonam,
learned counsel on record for writ petitioner (on the
Video Conferencing platform) and as regards IV
WP, Mr. E. Premjit, learned counsel on record for
petitioner (in the physical Court), are before this
Court.
[3] All the afore-referred learned counsel and
learned senior counsel submit in unison that factual
matrix qua the aforesaid four WPs are inextricably
intertwined and the issues are dovetailed.
[4] In III WP i.e., W.P. (C) No. 66 of 2026 (along
with MC thereat) a Division Bench of this Court
presided by one of us (Chief Justice) made an order
dated 29.01.2026 and the same reads as follows:
‘29.01.2026.
[1] Mr. K. Parameshwar, learned senior
advocate instructed by Mr. Niraj B Paonam,
learned counsel on record for petitioner isPage 2|9
before this Court on the Video Conferencing
platform.
[2] It is submitted that the captioned matter
is dovetailed with WP(C)No.79 of 2025 and
the same is pending in this Court. It is also
submitted that Hon’ble Supreme Court has
made an order dated 27.01.2026 in WP(C)No.
81 of 2026 and the counsel on record for writ
petitioner requests for time to produce that
order.
[3] Be that as it may, as it prima facie appears
that there may be overlap of exercise of
powers by Chief Justice on the administrative
side and the judicial side, let the captioned
matter be listed before a specially constituted
Division Bench of Hon’ble Mr. Justice
Ahanthem Bimol Singh and Hon’ble Mr.
Justice. A. Guneshwar Sharma tomorrow i.e,
30.01.2026.
[4] Let WP(C)No. 79 of 2025 also be listed
before the same specially constituted Division
Bench tomorrow i.e., 30.01.2026.
[5] To be noted, considering the exigency of
time and also taking into account that the
retirement is due on 31.01.2026, this order is
being made on the judicial side by making an
exception.
[6] List both matters before specially
constituted Division Bench tomorrow i.e.,
30.01.2026.’
Today, Mr. Niraj B Paonam, learned counsel on
record for petitioner in III WP, submits that he
could not produce the order of the Hon’ble
Supreme Court dated 27.01.2026 made in W.P. (C)
No. 81 of 2026 on 29.01.2026 as the same had not
been uploaded and the copy had not been made
available to the counsel on record on that day
(29.01.2026). Be that as it may, learned counsel
also expressed regret and submitted that he was
unable to apprise this Court (through senior
counsel appearing for him) of the contents of the
order of Hon’ble Supreme Court dated 27.01.2026.
The order of Hon’ble Supreme Court dated
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27.01.2026 made in W.P. (C) No. 81 of 2026 has
since been placed before this Court and a scanned
reproduction of the same is as follows:
[5] Owing to the afore-referred order of Hon’ble
Supreme Court, as a matter of judicial discipline
and institutional propriety in the hierarchy of
Courts, afore-referred 29.01.2026 order made in
W.P. (C) No. 66 of 2026 along with MC thereat is
recalled with the consent of all the aforementioned
learned counsel and learned senior counsel. (To be
noted, it is recalled as Hon’ble Supreme Court has
requested Chief Justice of this High Court to take
up and decide the writ petition)Page 4|9
[6] Consequently, order dated 30.01.2026 made by
Division Bench of Hon’ble Mr. Justice Ahanthem
Bimol Singh and Hon’ble Mr. Justice A. Guneshwar
Sharma and other order/s (if any) post 29.01.2026
also stand/s subsumed by the afore-referred recall
order. To be noted, this means that this 30.01.2026
also now stands recalled.
[7] The sequitur is, captioned four WPs along with
MCs thereat will be taken up together by a Division
Bench presided by Chief Justice (pursuant to order
of Hon’ble Supreme Court dated 27.01.2026 in W.P.
(C) No. 81 of 2026)[8] List all four captioned/afore-referred WPs along
with MCs thereat tomorrow (18.02.2026) before
the Division Bench presided by Chief Justice under
the same cause list caption, i.e., ‘AS PER HON’BLE
SUPREME COURT ORDER’[9] List on 18.02.2026′
[2] The same set of learned counsel and learned senior
counsel are before this Court today (to be noted,
paragraph 2 of earlier proceedings dated 17.02.2026
captures details in this regard).
[3] As regards I and II WPs, notice has already been
issued and all respondents have entered appearance. To
be noted, broadly stated there are two set of
respondents, one is State and the other is Manipur High
Court. As regards State, Ms. Thanyonmi Keishing,
learned State counsel and as regards Manipur High
Court, W. Jamon, learned counsel led by Mr. KH.
Tarunkumar, learned senior counsel are before us.
[4] As the central issue is common in all 4(four) WPs,
issue notice to respondents in III and IV WPs also. In III
WP, Ms. Thanyonmi Keishing, learned State counsel
accepts notice for respondent Nos. 1 & 2 and Mr. W.
Jamon, learned counsel accepts notice for respondent
No.3. In IV WP, Ms. Thanyonmi Keishing, learned State
counsel accepts notice for respondent Nos. 1 & 2 and Mr.
W. Jamon, learned Standing counsel accepts notice for
respondent Nos. 3 & 4.
[5] This Court is informed that pleadings are complete
in I WP. As regards High Court counsel, senior counsel
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Mr. Kh. Tarunkumar, on instructions, submits that the
affidavit-in-opposition filed in I WP can be treated as
affidavit-in-opposition in the other 3(three) WPs also and
he is ready to advance arguments.
[6] As regards the learned State counsel, learned State
counsel submits that affidavit-in-opposition has been
filed in I WP and the same can now treated as affidavit-
in-opposition in II, III & IV WPs also. However, learned
State counsel submits that learned Attorney General for
India, Mr. R. Venkataramani would be appearing for the
State and requests for listing on 26.02.2026. To be
noted, main WP will be heard out in the next listing.
[7] Inter-alia owing to letter dated 09.05.2025 bearing
reference No. L-MISC-5/12/2023-SEC-LAW in
WP(C)No.79 of 2025, learned State counsel shall keep
the entire records pertaining to the captioned matters
ready for perusal and the file/s shall be kept ready after
flagging the documents/pages to which State counsel
wants to draw the attention of this Court.
[8] Mr. Syed Murtaza, learned counsel on record for
petitioner submits that as regards II WP i.e.,
WP(C)No.316 of 2025 some compilation errors have
crept in and he seeks leave of this Court to replace the
present paper book with a new paper book with correct
pagination or include the missing pages and set the
paper book in order. Permission/leave in this regard
granted and Registry is directed to permit learned
counsel to do the needful in this regard.
[9] List on 26.02.2026.’
[2] To be noted, today, WP(C) No. 175 of 2026 along with MC
thereat has been tagged with the captioned bunch matters.
[3] Mr. Elangbam Premjit Singh, learned counsel for petitioner in
WP(C) No. 137 of 2026, Mr. Syed Murtaza Ahmed, learned
counsel for petitioner in WP(C) No. 316 of 2025 and WP(C) No.
79 of 2025 and Mr. M. Rendy, learned counsel for petitioner in
WP(C) No. 66 of 2026 and Mr. M. Rustam, learned counsel on
record for High Court led by Mr. Kh. Tarunkumar, learned senior
advocate are before this Court. As regards State respondents,
Mr. O. Ratan Kumar, learned State Counsel is before us in the
physical court and adverting to earlier proceedings dated
18.02.2026, more particularly paragraph 6 thereat, he submits
that learned Attorney General for India would not be appearing
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in this matter for State and instead, Mr. Vikramjit Banerjee,
learned Additional Solicitor General of India (ASG) who is before
us on the VC (Video Conferencing) platform would be appearing.
Today, Mr. Piyush Beriwal, learned counsel who is before us on
the VC platform submits that ASG is in difficulty and requests for
an adjournment/rescheduling.
[4] Though this Court was inclined to take up the matter in the
ensuing fortnight, Mr. Piyush Beriwal, learned counsel made a
specific request for listing in April citing difficulty for learned ASG.
In the light of such specific request citing difficulty for learned
Solicitor, let these matters stand over to 06.04.2026.
[5] In the interregnum, the parties shall complete pleadings.
[6] List on 06.04.2026.’
‘06.04.2026
Mr. E. Premjit, learned counsel appeared Physically before
this court on behalf of the petitioner in WP(C) No. 127 of 2026
and WP(C) No. 175 of 2026; Md. Abdul Baqee Khan, learned
counsel appeared Physically before this court on behalf of the
petitioner in WP(C) No. 316 of 2025; and Mr. Niraj P., learned
counsel appeared on behalf of the petitioner in WP(C) No. 79 of
2025 and WP(C) No. 66 of 2026 through VC platform.
Mr. Vikramjit Banerjee, learned Addl. Solicitor General
assisted by Mr. O. Ratankumar, learned counsel on behalf of the
State respondents through VC platform; and Mr. M. Rustam,
learned counsel appeared Physically before this court on behalf
of the High Court of Manipur.
The learned Addl. Solicitor General prays for fixing these
cases in the 1st week of June, 2026 so that he can appeared
physically before this Court.
On the other hand, the learned counsel appearing for the
petitioner submitted that they may be allowed to start their
arguments.
In view of the submission made above, let these cases be
listed again on 27.04.2026.’
Page 7|9
[2] Today, Mr. Niraj Paonam, learned counsel led by Mr. K.
Prameshwar, learned senior advocate for petitioner in W.P.(C) No. 79 of
2025 and W.P.(C) No. 66 of 2025 and Mr. E. Premjit, learned counsel for
petitioner in W.P.(C) No. 127 of 2026 and W.P.(C) No. 175 of 2026 are
before this Court on the Video Conferencing (VC) platform.
[3] Mr. Md. Abdul Baqee Khan, learned counsel for petitioner in
W.P.(C) No. 316 of 2025 is before this Court (Physical Court).
[4] As regards respondents, Mr. O. Ratankumar, learned State
counsel (State of Manipur) and Mr. M. Rustam, learned counsel for High
Court of Manipur are before this Court (Physical Court).
[5] Learned counsel for writ petitioners and learned senior
counsel for one of the counsel on record for writ petitioners are ready to
commence submissions but Mr. O. Ratankumar, learned State counsel
requests for a short accommodation citing personal
inconvenience/difficulty for learned ASG (Additional Solicitor General),
Mr. Vikramjeet Banerjee who is leading him.
[6] This Court has pointed out to learned State counsel that (a)
the matter is pursuant to orders made on judicial side by Hon’ble
Supreme Court being order dated 27.01.2026 and (b) time left for the
writ petitioners is limited.
[7] Learned State counsel submitted that rescheduling of
captioned matter is sought only owing to personal inconvenience of
Page 8|9
learned ASG and he further submitted that next listing can be treated as
peremptory.
[8] As regards next listing date, all afore-referred learned
counsel submitted that it can be 22.05.2026.
[9] List under the same cause list caption i.e., ‘AS PER HON’BLE
SUPREME COURT ORDER’ on 22.05.2026.
[10] List on 22.05.2026.
JUDGE CHIEF JUSTICE
Bipin
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