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ShareNew Delhi: The longest-serving and costliest inquiry commission in the world has at last submitted its findings. The Liberhan Commission, set up within 15 days of the demolition of the Babri Masjid on December 6, 1992, was to submit its report within three months, but took 17 years and 48 extensions, costing the exchequer Rs9 crore.
The commission's terms of reference provided that it look into the circumstances that led to the demolition. It was to also investigate the roles of various political outfits and their leaders, particularly those of the BJP, who were involved in the Ram Janmabhoomi movement.
Liberhan was a high court judge when he was asked to head the panel. He retired as chief justice of Andhra Pradesh during the course of the probe.
The commission got its last extension till June 30, 2009, on March 31.
The delay has been attributed by Liberhan to non-cooperation by some of the key witnesses and subsequent court interventions. One of the main reasons for the delay was former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Kalyan Singh's reluctance to appear before the commission.
Singh, who was heading the state government during the Babri demolition, had petitioned the Delhi high court to issue directions to the panel that he should not be summoned till the case was decided.
The panel closed recording of evidence on June 3, 2005, after holding 325 sittings. Between 1992 and 2005, it examined 100 witnesses, including LK Advani, MM Joshi, former PM PV Narasimha Rao, Uma Bharti, Vinay Katiyar, Kalyan Singh, Ashok Singhal, Govindacharya and Praveen Togadia.
