The term of the 10-year-old Liberhan Commission inquiring into the demolition of the disputed structure at Ayodhya has been extended by another six months and would now submit its report by June 30.According to a Home Ministry notification extending the tenure of the panel by six months, ‘‘the commission will now submit its report before June 30, 2003’’.The commission headed by Justice M.S. Liberhan was set up by the Centre 10 days after the destruction of the disputed structure at Ayodhya on December 6, 1992.The commission is inquiring into the sequence of events leading to the demolition and the alleged involvement of certain politicians in it.The terms of reference of the commission also includes probe into the deficient security arrangements, which led to the demolition of the medieval structure.Former PM P. V. Narasimha Rao during whose tenure the demolition took place, Deputy PM L.K. Advani and Union Minister Uma Bharti are among the key witnesses completing their deposition before the panel.Other prominent personalities who have appeared before the Commission are former PM V.P. Singh, Union ministers M M Joshi and some former officials of the UP Government.The then UP Chief Minister Kalyan Singh, another key witness, has yet to depose as he has challenged commission’s notice to him in the Delhi High Court.
