Adarsh judicial panel seeks three-week extension

Just three days before the deadline expires,the Adarsh judicial panel has sought a three-week extension to compile the report and table it in the Assembly. The commission was expected to submit its report within three months but started examining witnesses only in May 2011. In December,the panel was given its eighth extension till March 31.

Anticipating a furore in the floor of the Assembly over the final 11 points of reference which mainly focus on issues like reservation of the plot,town planning and coastal violations and the role of public servants,the commission is believed to have sought this extension. It now plans to table it towards the fag end of the budget session.

The two-member Adarsh Commission comprising retired high court Justice JA Patil and former state chief secretary P Subrahmanium,has taken nearly 28 months to examine over 40 witnesses,mostly bureaucrats and politicians including former chief ministers Vilasrao Deshmukh,Ashok Chavan and Sushil Kumar Shinde.

Confirming the news about seeking of the extension,registrar of the judicial panel N N Kumbhare said,We will require a few more days to compile the report and hence have sought a three- week extension from the State government.

In April,last year,the commission had submitted a report regarding ownership of the land and given a clean chit to the state government.