Liberhan Commission

Liberhan Commission headed by the retired judge of Supreme Court M S Liberhan was constituted on December 16 1992 by an order of the Indian union home ministry following the demolition of the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya on 6 December and the riots in Ayodhya city. The Commission was expected to submit its report within three months.

The terms & reference of the Commission

To make an inquiry with respect to the following matters:-

(i) The sequence of events leading to, and all the facts and circumstances relating to, the occurrences in the Ram Janma Bhoomi-Babri Masjid complex at Ayodhya on 6th December 1992 involving the destruction of the Ram Jamma Bhoomi-Babri Masjid structure;

(ii) The role played by the Chief Minister, Members of the Council of Ministers, officials of the Government of Uttar Pradesh and by the individuals, concerned organisations and agencies in, or in connection with, the destruction of the Ram Jamma Bhoomi-Babri Masjid structure;

(iii) The deficiencies in security measures and other arrangements as prescribed or operated in practice by Government of Uttar Pradesh which might have contributed to the events that took place in the Ram Janma Bhoomi-Babri Masjid complex, Ayodhya town and Faizabad on6th December, 1992;

(iv) The sequence of events leadings to, and all the facts and circumstances relating to, the assault on media persons at ayodhya on 6th December, 1992; and

(v) Any other matters related to the subject of Inquiry.

[ [http://164.100.24.219/rsq/quest.asp?qref=45998] ]

Duration and Expenses

The one-man panel, one of the country's longest running inquiry commissions which has cost the government Rs.63.60 million till date, is currently writing up his report on the sequence of events leading to the razing of the Babri mosque by Hindu mobs on Dec 6, 1992.

Sources told IANS that besides identifying those who played a role in the destruction of the 16th century mosque, the commission would also unravel why and how the demolition happened and name the larger forces and actors responsible for it.

Appointed by former prime minister P.V. Narasimha Rao two weeks after the demolition on Dec 16, 1992, to ward off criticism against his government for having failed to protect the mosque, the commission in August last year^{which year?} finished hearing its last witness Kalyan Singh -- who was Uttar Pradesh chief minister at the time of the demolition and was dismissed soon after.

In 14 years of its proceedings, the commission recorded statements of several politicians, bureaucrats and police officials including Kalyan Singh, late Narasimha Rao, former deputy prime minister L.K. Advani and his colleagues Murli Manohar Joshi and Uma Bharati as well as Mulayam Singh Yadav.

Top bureaucrats and police officials of Uttar Pradesh, the then district magistrate R.N. Srivastava and Senior Superintendent of Police D.B. Roy of Ayodhya also recorded their statements on the demolition.

Extensions

The original three months of the commission has been extended several times.

2007The Centre on Monday extended by another two months the tenure of the Justice Liberhan Commission, probing the sequence of events leading to the demolition of the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya on December 6, 1992. Its term expired on Monday. The Centre asked the Commission to submit its report on or before February 29, 2008.

1 May 2008: [ [http://www.khabrein.info/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=14109&Itemid=88] ] [29 February: [http://www.khabrein.info/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=12895&Itemid=88] ] 1 Nov 2007: 31 Aug 2007: 41st extension [cite news | url ="http://www.ibnlive.com/news/time-15-yrs-costs-rs-700-lakh-liberhan-yet-to-report/47829-3.html| title = Time 15 yrs, costs Rs 700 lakh: Liberhan yet to report]

3 July 2007:

4 Apr 2007: [ [http://pib.nic.in/release/rel_print_page.asp?relid=23733 three months] ]

2 Jan 2007: [ [http://pib.nic.in/release/rel_print_page.asp?relid=23733 three months] ]

2006

29 June 2006:

23 March 2006:

2005

12 Dec 2005:

30 Sept 2005: [ [http://news.indiainfo.com/2005/09/30/3009ayodhya-librahion.html three months] ]

25 June 2005: [ [http://www.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=49458 three months] ]

24 March 2005: [ [http://www.outlookindia.com/pti_news.asp?id=288252 three months] ]

2004

9 Sept 2004: [ [http://www.outlookindia.com/pti_news.asp?id=248120 six months] ]

11 March 2004: [ [http://www.hindu.com/2004/03/12/stories/2004031201161300.htm six months] ]

200330 Jun 2003: [ [http://pib.nic.in/release/rel_print_page.asp?relid=23733 six months] ]

1 Jan 2003: [ [http://pib.nic.in/archieve/lreleng/lyr2003/rjan2003/01012003/r010120037.html six months] ]

2002

1 July 2002: [ [http://www.outlookindia.com/pti_news.asp?id=66464 six months] ]

References

200847 th extension for the commision approved by the Indian Government