The Supreme Court of India has directed a committee constituted by the Ministry of Home Affairs to meet at least once every three months to address concerns faced by people from the Northeastern states living in other parts of the country.

The order was passed by a bench of Justice Sanjay Kumar and Justice K. Vinod Chandran while hearing a long-pending matter concerning the protection of the rights and dignity of individuals from the region. The Court made it clear that the committee must function in a proactive and responsive manner, rather than treating its role as a routine formality.

In addition to mandatory quarterly meetings, the bench observed that the panel should convene immediately in the event of serious incidents, particularly those reported in the media or otherwise brought to its notice, that require urgent intervention. The Court also instructed that the next meeting be held within a specified timeline and that a comprehensive status report be filed detailing the issues discussed and the steps taken.

The committee is headed by Niraj Kumar Bansod and was formed to oversee the implementation of recommendations made by the Bezbaruah Committee. Its responsibilities include monitoring complaints related to racial discrimination, coordinating with law enforcement agencies, and reviewing measures to enhance safety and promote inclusion for Northeastern residents across India.

The directions come in a writ petition that has been pending since 2015, seeking the creation of stronger institutional mechanisms to protect members of the Northeastern community from discrimination, harassment, and violence when residing outside their home states.