Godhra riots: After 24 extensions, Nanavati Commission to submit final report soon

New Delhi, Oct 30: The Justice Nanavati Commission probing the 2002 post-Godhra riots in Gujarat, is ready with its final report which is expected to be submitted to the Gujarat state government by November 15.

"The commission will not ask for another extension from the government," Justice G T Nanavati told PTI in Ahmedabad on Wednesday.
Earlier, Gujarat government granted 24 extensions to the commission. The tenure of its 24th extension, granted on 30th September, ends on 31st October.

"There is no need to seek a 25th extension, because our final report is ready. It is now being printed and will come to us in a few days. We will submit it to government by November 15," Justice Nanavati said. The commission comprises retired judges G T Nanavati and Akshay Mehta.

In 2008, the inquiry panel had submitted one part of its finding about the Godhra train burning incident, in which it had concluded that burning of the S-6 coach of Sabarmati Express near Godhra railway station was a "planned conspiracy".

The panel had been constituted by the Gujarat state government on March 3, 2002, under the Commission of Inquiry Act comprising Justice K G Shah in the wake of the Godhra train carnage on February 27, 2002 and the subsequent communal riots across the state.

Initially, the Terms of Reference (TOR) of the commission were to inquire into the facts, circumstances and course of events that led to the burning of the S-6 coach of Sabarmati Express.

In May 2002, the Gujarat state government appointed retired Supreme Court Justice G T Nanavati as the chairman of the commission and the TOR were further amended in June 2002 as per which the panel was also asked to inquire the incidents of violence that took place after the Godhra incident. In 2008, after the death of Justice K G Shah, retired High Court Justice Akshay Mehta was appointed to the commission.

PTI