Final report on 2002 riots still awaiting, 18th extension granted

The 18th extension granted to the Nanavati and Mehta 2002 communal riot inquiry commission has been objected to by a petitioner before the Gujarat High Court. The development happened on Thursday while hearing of a PIL filed by Jignesh Goswami raising the issue of huge expenditure behind the commission which is active since 2002.  KG Pandit, counsel for Goswami, filed an amendment in the petition, arguing that once the matter was sub-judice regarding functions of the commission, the government ought not to have given extension to the commission without the permission of the high court.

"Through the PIL in December last year, we had raised the issue of expenditure of more than Rs6.50 crore behind the riot probe commission. However, the government unilaterally granted 9-month extension to panel without taking permission of HC. Such action of the government is not admissible and the HC should seek explanation from the government," said KG Pandit while talking to DNA.  "Earlier, the government pleader PK Jani had informed the court that the commission's tenure would end on Dec 31, 2011. So, on what ground did it get an extension?" asked Pandit, citing his amendment in the petition. Goswami also sought details on how long the Nanavati commission would function and when it intended to deliver its final report.  "An amount of Rs6.37 crore has been spent on the Nanavati-Mehta panel by the government but it has still not delivered its final report in 2002 riots," the PIL stated.