The Delhi high court on Friday stayed the order of Liberhan Commission's summons to former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Kalyan Singh to appear before it in connection with the Babri masjid demolition case. Singh had been told to appear as a witness on September 23/24.

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Justice A K Sikri stayed the Commission's order after Singh's counsel M N Krishnamani sought time to file a rejoinder to the reply filed by the one-man panel to his petition against the summons.

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Fixing October 17 as the next date of hearing on the petition, the court directed the former chief minister to approach the Commission for adjournment of the September 23 date.

Appearing for the Centre, Additional Solicitor General (ASG) K K Sud supported Singh's plea for time to file the rejoinder, saying, "Eleven years have already expired. Nothing will happen if 2-3 days are granted to the petitioner."

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The Commission's counsel Anupam Gupta accused the Centre of colluding with Singh to delay the proceedings of the Commission probing the demolition of the disputed structure in Ayodhya on December 6, 1992. In the written reply filed in the court through Gupta, Commission secretary S K Pachauri had on September 16 termed Singh's petition as 'totally misconceived and not maintainable'.

Singh has so far refused to appear before the panel as a witness contending it would prejudice his defence in the CBI case on the demolition.

PTI

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