Nanavati Commission's term extended by six months

AHMEDABAD: The Nanavati Commission probing the 2002 riots in Gujarat has been granted another extension of six months till December 31 this year by Gujarat government, officials said today.

It is the 20th time that the tenure of the Commission, currently comprising retd Justices G T Nanavati and Akshay Mehta, was extended. Last time, its term was extended was in December 2012.

"The state government has extended the term of the Commission by six months upto December 31, 2013," Commission's secretary C G Patel told PTI.

The riot panel had in 2008 submitted one part of its finding with regard to Godhra train burning incident, where it had concluded that the burning of S-6 coach of Sabarmati Express near Godhra railway station was a planned conspiracy.

The Commission was appointed by the state government on March 3, 2002, under the Commission of Enquiry Act under Justice K G Shah in the wake of Godhra train carnage on February 27, 2002 and subsequent communal riots.

Initially, the terms of reference (TOR) of the Commission were to inquire into facts, circumstances and course of events that led to the burning of the S-6 coach of Sabarmati Express near Godhra railway station.

In May 2002, the state government appointed retired Justice G T Nanavati as chairman of the Commission.

The TOR was further amended in June 2002 and the Commission was also asked to inquire the incidents of violence that took place after the Godhra train burning.

In 2008, after the death of Justice K G Shah, Justice Akshay Mehta was appointed to the Commission.