Commission on Babri demolition gets 3 months

New Delhi, Jan 2: The Centre today extended by three more months the term of the Liberhan Commission, which was set up in December 1992 to inquire into the demolition of Babri Masjid at Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh.

The extension is believed to be the last in the series granted during the last 14 years.

The latest three-month extension was necessitated in the wake of the expiry of the previous one which ended on December 31, 2006.

The Commission, headed by retired Justice Manmohan Singh Liberhan, a former Chief Justice of Andhra Pradesh High Court, was appointed by the then Congresss government of Prime Minister Narasimha Rao within ten days of the demolition of the disputed structure at Ayodhya.

In all probability, the Commission will submit its report in March this year. In that case, the report would assume special significance in view of the assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, which is likely to be held in May this year.

The Liberhan Commission was entrusted with the task of inquiring into the Babari Masjid demolition on December 6, 1992, and unravelling the facts that led to the demolition.

The order setting up the commission had stipulated that it complete the inquiry "as soon as possible but not later than three months" and submit its report immediately thereafter. However, 14 years have since passed.

As part of the proceedings, the Commission had summoned many important witnesses, including former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Kalyan Singh, P V Narasimha Rao, Bharatiya Janata Party leaders such as L K Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi and Uma Bharati and Samajwadi Party (S P) leader Mulayam Singh Yadav.

UNI