Justice M.S. Liberhan, who headed Babri Masjid inquiry commission, passes away
Justice Manmohan Singh Liberhan, the former judge who led the inquiry commission into the 1992 Babri Masjid demolition, has passed away at age 87. He served as a judge in the Punjab and Haryana High Court and later as Chief Justice of the Madras and Andhra Pradesh High Courts.
Why it matters
His commission's report was a pivotal document in understanding the legal and political aftermath of the Babri Masjid demolition, a defining event in modern Indian history.
Justice Manmohan Singh Liberhan, who headed the commission that probed the circumstances leading to the demolition of the Babri mosque at Ayodhya, died at the age of 87.
Punjab and Haryana High Court Bar Association President Rohit Sud said Justice Liberhan passed away in Chandigarh on Sunday (August 2, 2026). His last rites will be performed on Monday (August 3, 2026).
Babri Masjid demolition | Key conclusions by Liberhan Commission
Justice Liberhan began his legal practice at the Punjab and Haryana High Court in 1964. He was elected to the Punjab and Haryana Bar Council in August 1970 and served as its member until February 11, 1987. He also served as the Bar Council's secretary from January 1976 to June 1983.
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