Nanavati commission gets 20th extension of six months

AHMEDABAD: The Nanavati commission probing the 2002 post-Godhra riots has been given another six-month extension by Gujarat government. This is its 20th extension. It initially comprised retired justices G T Nanavati and Akshay Mehta. The last time its term was extended was in December 2012.
"The state government has extended the term of the commission till December 31, 2013," the commission's secretary C G Patel said.The riots panel had, in 2008, submitted one part of its findings concerning the Godhra train burning incident and 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 Commissions of Inquiry Act under Justice K G Shah in the wake of Godhra train carnage on February 27, 2002 and subsequent communal riots.
In September 2012, the Gujarat high court had dismissed a public interest litigation (PIL) filed against the commission getting yet another extension. At the time, it had got its 18th extension. Initially, the terms of reference were to inquire into facts, circumstances and course of events that led to the burning of the S-6 coach. In May 2002, the state government appointed retired justice G T Nanavati as chairman of the commission.
The terms of reference were further amended in June 2002 and the commission was also asked to inquire into the violence that took place after the Godhra train burning. In 2008, after the death of Justice K G Shah, Justice Mehta was appointed to the commission. pti