Gujarat riots panel final report by March

The Nanavati-Mehta Commission inquiring into the cases of Godhra train carnage the riots that followed may submit its final report by March 2012. When that happens, it will be full 10 years for the panel to continue with the probe — it had been set up in March 2002.

During the hearing of a PIL seeking the status report of the probe, government pleader PK Jani told Gujarat High Court on Thursday that the secretary of the commission, CG Patel, had communicated to him that the commission might not be able to submit the report by December 31 this year. However, the communication further stated that the commission would be able to conclude the probe and submit the final report by March 2012, Jani told HC.

The division bench of acting chief justice Bhaskar Bhattacharya and justice JB Pardiwala had asked the government to find out from the commission if it had got an extension and when it would be submitting its findings. In response, the government pleader produced a letter written by the secretary of the commission.
Jani also informed the court that on the basis of the communication, the state government had on December 20, extended the term of the panel till March 31, 2012

After hearing the response from the commission and government, the bench said they would wait till March 31, and if no report was submitted by then, the matter would be taken up in the first week of April for appropriate orders.

The PIL, filed by one Jignesh Goswami through advocate KG Pandit, had said the commission, set up in March 2002, had only submitted an interim report in September 2008 but it had not informed the government or the people of Gujarat when it intended to submit the final report.