Justice MS Liberhan Dies: Led Historic Babri Masjid Demolition Probe

Justice Manmohan Singh Liberhan, the former Chief Justice of the Andhra Pradesh High Court, passed away at the age of 87 on Monday. He is most significantly recognized for leading the Liberhan Commission, which investigated the 1992 Babri Masjid demolition in Ayodhya. This judicial inquiry remains one of the longest-running in Indian history, spanning 17 years and involving nearly 400 sittings before its final submission. His career was defined by legal rigor and constitutional oversight during some of the country’s most turbulent political periods. The legal fraternity has expressed deep grief over the loss of a principled jurist.

Commissioned just days after the demolition in December 1992, the report was eventually submitted to the government in June 2009. Justice Liberhan’s detailed findings concluded that the destruction of the mosque was a well-planned conspiracy rather than a spontaneous act. The commission’s report famously indicted 68 individuals, including several top-tier political leaders, for their roles in the event. His work provided a critical evidentiary framework that influenced decades of legal and political discourse regarding the Ayodhya dispute. Despite the immense political sensitivity of the task, he maintained a reputation for meticulous detail throughout the lengthy investigation.

The passing of Justice Liberhan triggers reflections on the enduring role of judicial commissions in India’s democratic framework. Legal analysts credit him with preserving investigative integrity despite facing immense pressure from multiple successive governments. In the current Indian context, his findings on state accountability and secularism remain a vital reference point for constitutional scholars and historians. His tenure at the Punjab and Haryana High Court is also remembered for several landmark rulings on civil liberties. The final verdict on the Ayodhya land dispute in 2019 acknowledged the historical context documented by his extensive commission work.