The government of north Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir Wednesday granted a month's extension till December 31 to the judicial commission probing the killings of 17 civilians during the recent unrest in Kashmir Valley as it has not been able to complete the probe within the stipulated time-frame.
"The commission has been granted a month's extension and we hope that the probe will be completed during this period," Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ali Mohammad Sagar told PTI.
The two-member panel headed by Justice (Retd) Bashiruddin Ahmad had written to the state government to extend its term by two months for completing the probe, official sources said.
The sources said the Commission, which also comprises Justice (retd) Y P Nargotra, sought the extension as "the enquiry is not likely to be completed within the stipulated time."
"The Commission is presently recording the evidence produced by the government which shall be followed by recording of facts from the other side," it said in the letter to state Law Department last week.
This is the second one-month extension given to the Commission, whose term was initially till October-end.
The Commission, appointed on July 27 following an all- party meeting convened by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, was given three months to complete the probe.
The panel is probing the killings that took place between June 11 and July 19, the first five weeks of the unrest in Kashmir Valley.
The Commission issued a notification on August 31, seeking information on affidavits from the eyewitnesses within 15 days. However, the date for filing the affidavits was extended by a month as no one turned up before the expiry of
the first deadline.
The terms of reference of the Commission include fixing responsibility wherever excessive force has been used resulting in fatalities and suggesting measures to avert recurrence of such incidents besides recommending action against the guilty.