• Supreme Court (Bench led by CJI Surya Kant, with Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohana) proposed setting up two special trial courts to exclusively and speedily hear cases from the 2023 Manipur ethnic violence — one for CBI cases, one for NIA cases [S1].
• Tests candidates on federal criminal justice architecture: SC's supervisory role over investigation/trial delay, CBI vs NIA jurisdiction, and High Court administrative control over subordinate courts.
• Sits at the intersection of GS-II (judiciary, Centre-State relations, internal security law) and current affairs on Manipur's ethnic conflict (Meitei-Kuki-Zo violence since May 2023).

2. Why in the News

• On Monday (10 August 2026), the SC Bench asked the Chief Justice of the Gauhati High Court to consider constituting special courts — separately for CBI and NIA cases — to hear them on a day-to-day basis [S3][S1].
• Trigger: a CBI status report showing that of 904 witnesses in CBI cases, 891 were yet to be examined, prompting the Court's concern over trial delays [Excerpt].
• The Court sought a further status report by the next hearing date [Excerpt].

3. Background & Evolution

• Violence broke out in Manipur from 3 May 2023, between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities, following disputes over ST status and land/hill-valley divide [S2].
• Government of India notified a Commission of Inquiry under the Commissions of Inquiry Act, 1952, chaired by Justice Ajai Lamba, to probe the violence [S2].
• CBI was tasked with investigating major criminal cases arising from the violence; NIA was separately handed cases with a terror/conspiracy angle, including the Jiribam killings (abduction and murder of six women and children), registered by NIA in November 2024 after MHA transferred the cases [S1].
• MHA earlier designated a Sessions Court in Churachandpur district as a Special NIA Court for trial of NIA-probed Manipur cases [S1].
• SC had earlier ordered transfer of all CBI cases to courts in Assam (Gauhati/Kamrup Metro) for trial, citing a fair-trial atmosphere outside Manipur [S1].

4. Core Static Facts

5. Multi-Dimensional Analysis

Legal / Constitutional

• Exercise of SC's plenary/supervisory powers (Article 142-type oversight) over investigation and trial to ensure speedy justice.
• Raises the issue of transfer of trial venue across states (Manipur cases tried in Assam) for a fair and secure trial atmosphere.
• Distinction between CBI (regular police-agency route, Sessions Court trial) and NIA (special court under the NIA Act, 2008) procedural tracks.

Social

• Cases include sexual assault and gang rape of women during the violence — SC has repeatedly stressed accountability to "bring home the guilt" [Excerpt].
• Delay in trial (891 of 904 witnesses unexamined) directly affects victims from Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities, undermining reconciliation.

Administrative

• Coordination challenge between State machinery (Manipur/Assam), High Court (Gauhati), CBI, and NIA — a federal law-and-order/criminal justice coordination problem.
• Witness protection and logistics for out-of-state trials (Assam) for Manipur-based witnesses.

Governance / Ethical

• Underscores accountability gap — nearly 99% of CBI witnesses unexamined more than three years after the violence began, testing the efficacy of special investigation mechanisms.

6. Recent Developments (last 12-18 months)

• November 2024: NIA registered cases including the Jiribam killings after MHA handover [S1].
• MHA designated Churachandpur Sessions Court as Special NIA Court [S1].
• SC ordered transfer of all CBI cases to Assam courts [S1].
• 10 August 2026: SC proposed two exclusive special courts (CBI + NIA) via the Gauhati HC Chief Justice, citing the CBI status report on witness examination [S1][Excerpt].

7. Prelims Hooks

• Manipur ethnic violence began on 3 May 2023.
• SC Bench proposing special courts headed by CJI Surya Kant.
• CBI investigated 31 cases; NIA investigated 30 cases in Manipur violence.
• Of CBI's 22 chargesheets, only 1 is triable by a Magistrate — rest go to Sessions Court.
• 904 witnesses in CBI cases; 891 yet to be examined (per CBI status report).
• Commission of Inquiry into Manipur violence chaired by Justice Ajai Lamba, under the Commissions of Inquiry Act, 1952.
• Churachandpur Sessions Court notified as Special NIA Court for Manipur cases.
• CBI cases transferred for trial to Kamrup (Metro), Guwahati, Assam — not tried within Manipur.
• NIA registered the Jiribam killings case (six women & children) in November 2024.
• Law officer representing the Centre in this hearing: ASG Aishwarya Bhati.
• NIA operates under the National Investigation Agency Act, 2008.

8. Mains Relevance

• GS-II: Judiciary — structure, organisation, functioning; separation of powers; Centre-State relations; statutory bodies (NIA, CBI).
• GS-I: Social empowerment, communalism/regionalism — Manipur ethnic conflict as a case study.
• GS-III: Internal security — role of central investigating agencies, linkages of organised crime/terror with insurgency in the Northeast.
• Possible question stems: 1. "Discuss the constitutional basis of the Supreme Court's power to direct creation of special courts for expeditious trial. Examine this in light of the Manipur violence cases." 2. "Critically examine the effectiveness of CBI and NIA in handling communal/ethnic violence cases, with reference to the 2023 Manipur violence." 3. "Delay in trial defeats the purpose of justice. Discuss with reference to witness examination bottlenecks in the Manipur CBI cases."

9. Related Topics to Study Next

• NIA Act, 2008 — special courts, agency jurisdiction, and comparison with CBI's DSPE Act, 1946 origin.
• Manipur ethnic conflict (Meitei-Kuki-Zo) — ST status demand, land laws, historical background.
• Commissions of Inquiry Act, 1952 — Justice Ajai Lamba Commission.
• Article 32/136 & SC's supervisory jurisdiction over investigations (compare with similar directions in other riots — 1984, 2002 Gujarat).
• Witness Protection Scheme, 2018 — relevance to delayed witness examination.
• President's Rule in Manipur — imposed 2025, administrative fallout of the violence.
• Fast Track Special Courts (FTSCs) scheme — comparison with proposed Manipur special courts.

10. Common Errors / Trap Areas

• Do not confuse CBI (functions under DSPE Act, 1946, Ministry of Personnel) with NIA (functions under NIA Act, 2008, MHA) — different statutory bases and courts.
• Do not assume both special courts are already constituted — SC only proposed/requested the Gauhati HC Chief Justice to consider constituting them; not yet operational.
• Special NIA Court is in Churachandpur (Manipur); CBI cases trial venue is in Assam (Guwahati/Kamrup) — don't mix up locations.
• Commission of Inquiry (Justice Ajai Lamba) is a separate fact-finding mechanism, distinct from the CBI/NIA criminal investigations.
• The witness figure (904/891) pertains only to CBI cases, not NIA cases — don't conflate the two agencies' statistics.

11. Sources

• [S1] "Supreme Court Seeks 2 Exclusive Special Courts To Fast-Track CBI And NIA Cases Linked To 2023 Manipur Violence" — https://www.freepressjournal.in/india/supreme-court-seeks-2-exclusive-special-courts-to-fast-track-cbi-and-nia-cases-linked-to-2023-manipur-violence — (tier: 4)
• [S2] "Government of India led by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi notifies a Commission of Inquiry under the Commissions of Inquiry Act, 1952 to inquire into the incidents of violence in the state of Manipur on 03.05.2023" — https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetailm.aspx?PRID=1929742&reg=3&lang=2 — (tier: 1)
• [S3] "SC Asks Authorities to Consider Exclusive Courts for Manipur Violence Cases" — https://www.sentinelassam.com/breakingnews/sc-asks-authorities-to-consider-exclusive-courts-for-manipur-violence-cases — (tier: 4)
• [Excerpt] "SC proposes special courts for violence cases in Manipur" — The Hindu — https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/2026-08-11/th_chennai/articleG7FGCJU46-15968572.ece — (tier: 4)