The Hindu : National : Gujarat riots inquiry panel to hear adjournment plea

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Tuesday, Jul 27, 2004

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Gujarat riots inquiry panel to hear adjournment plea

By Our Special Correspondent

AHMEDABAD, JULY 26. The Gujarat riots inquiry commission will hear tomorrow an application by the State Government for an adjournment of its proceedings in the light of the fresh notification expanding its ambit and time-frame.

The government pleader, R.B. Pandya, moved the application before the G.T. Nanavati and K.G. Shah judicial inquiry commission probing the Godhra train carnage and the post-Godhra communal riots in the State in 2002, when it resumed its hearing today.

Mr. Pandya sought more time to collect fresh evidence in view of the State Government's notification last week expanding the scope of the terms of reference of the Commission.

Under the new notification, the communal incidents up to May 31, 2002 were brought under the Commission's purview instead of April 30, the same year, and it was also given the authority to summon the Chief Minister, other Ministers concerned of the then Cabinet as well as any top bureaucrats and police officers and political parties or non-political non-government organisations.

Though the advocate for the Jan Sangharsha Manch, which is fighting the cases for the riot victims, took strong exception to the adjournment move, the Commission's hearing was adjourned for the day till it disposed of the government application.

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