SC Directs Quarterly Monitoring Committee Meetings to Address Welfare Issues of North-East Citizens

Alana Golmei Vs Union of India & Ors. (Supreme Court of India)

The Supreme Court was informed that the last meeting of the Monitoring Committee was held on 15.12.2025. The Committee comprises officials from the Ministry of Home Affairs, Delhi Police, Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region, Department of School Education and Literacy, NCERT, and members representing the North-East community. The Court directed that the Committee should meet at least once every three months to discuss issues concerning the welfare of people from North-East India residing in different parts of the country. It further directed that if any issue is reported in newspapers or brought to the notice of the Chairman by any member, a meeting should be convened immediately to address the matter and take corrective measures, if necessary.

The Committee has been directed to meet on 15.03.2026 and continue to hold meetings at least once every three months, or earlier if required due to any incident. The issues raised, discussed, and addressed in the meeting held on 15.03.2026 must be placed before the Court by way of a status report.

The Court also directed the Committee to act in accordance with the purpose for which it was constituted under the judgment in Karma Dorjee and Others vs. Union of India and Others (2017) 1 SCC 799. Referring to paragraph 17 of that judgment, the Court reiterated that the Committee’s work should be widely publicized and that it should remain accessible to grievances, suggestions, and complaints. The Committee is required to monitor implementation of the MP Bezbaruah Committee Report dated 11.07.2014, oversee government initiatives to curb racial discrimination and violence, review action taken on such incidents, forward complaints to appropriate authorities, call for reports from State Governments and Union Territories, and consider acceptance of further recommendations. The matter has been directed to be re-listed on 08.04.2026.

FULL TEXT OF THE SUPREME COURT JUDGMENT/ORDER

We are informed that the last meeting of the Monitoring Committee was held on 15.12.2025. The Monitoring Committee comprises the following members,:-

1. Niraj Kumar Bansod, Joint Secretary (NE), Ministry of Home Affairs, Chairman;

2. Dr. Alana Golmei, Northeast Support Centre & Helpline, New Delhi, Member;

3. Mr. J. Maivio, Member;

4. Mr. Nabam Gungte, Jt. C.P., SPUNER & SPUWAC, Delhi Police;

5. Mr. Narendra Gautam, Director (NE), Ministry of Home Affairs;

6.Mr. D.K. Ghosh, Deputy Secretary, Police-I Division, Ministry of Home Affairs.

7. Mr. Ravi Choudhary, Deputy Secretary, U.T. Division, Ministry of Home Affairs;

8. Mr. Sunil Kumar Singh, Under Secretary, Judicial Division, Ministry of Home Affairs;

9. Mr. Rajesh Kumar Singh, Under Secretary (NE-III), Ministry of Home Affairs;

10. Mr. Shib Das Sarkar, Director, D/o School Education and Literacy;

11. Mr. F.G. Dkhar, Principal, NEREI, Shilong, NCERT; and

12. Ms. Neha Dheeman, Under Secretary, Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region.

It would be proper for the Committee to meet at least once in three months to discuss all the issues pertaining to the welfare of the people of North-East India living in different parts of the country.

In that regard, the Committee must take note of any newspaper report(s) relating to any issue or if a member of the Committee brings it to the notice of the Chairman of the Committee and a meeting should immediately be called for to address the issue and take corrective measures, if necessary.

The Committee shall meet on 15.03.2026 and shall continue to meet at least once in three months, unless a meeting is required to be held even before the expiry of the three months’ period owing to any incident or issue being brought to the notice of the Committee.

The details of the issues raised, discussed and addressed during the meeting held on 15.03.2026 shall be placed before this Court by way of a status report.

The Committee shall also note the purpose for which it was formed by this Court, vide the judgment in “Karma Dorjee and Others vs. Union of India and Others¹, and act accordingly. We may refer to paragraph-17 thereof in that regard, which reads as follows: –

17. The work of the Committee should be widely publicized in the electronic and print media, including in the North-Eastern States. The Committee should be accessible to grievances, suggestions and complaints. The Committee should meet periodically and preferably at monthly intervals to monitor the redressal of all such grievances including the implementation of the recommendations of the Bezbaruah Committee, to the extent to which they have been accepted by the Union Government. The Committee shall carry out the following functions:

17.1. to monitor, oversee, pursue and review the implementation of the MP Bezbaruah Committee Report dated 11-7­2014;

17.2. to monitor the initiatives taken by the Government to curb and deal with the incidents of racial discrimination/racial atrocities/racial violence;

17.3. to monitor action in respect of incidents of racial discrimination/racial atrocities/racial violence, suggest measures and ensure strict action;

17.4. to receive, consider and entertain complaints from individuals and groups of individuals who claim to be victims of racial abuse/racial atrocities/racial violence/racial discrimination and forward the same to the National Human Rights Commission and/or the State Human Rights Commissions and/or to the jurisdictional Police Station as the case may be for enquiry and necessary action;

17.5. to issue necessary directions including calling for reports on incidents of racial discrimination/racial atrocities/racial violence from the State Governments/Union Territories.

17.6. A decision may also be taken by the Union Government on whether any of the other recommendations should be accepted.

Re-list on 08.04.2026.

Notes:

¹(2017) 1 SCC 799