New Delhi: The Liberhan Commission today (Jan 30, 2004) rejected the plea of the Mulayam Singh Government in Uttar Pradesh (UP) that the State was not in a position to argue its case until a final decision was taken on examining former Chief Minister Kalyan Singh and said it could file written submissions before on or February 25.

Appearing before the commission constituted to go into events leading to the demolition of the disputed structure at Ayodhya on December 6, 1992 UP advocate general Virendra Bhatia moved an adjournment plea saying Kalyan's examination as witness would be relevant to the inquiry.

Kalyan Singh's Rashtriya Kranti Party (RKP) is a constituent of UP's ruling combine. He said Kalyan's statement regarding his role as the then the Chief Minister would have far reaching consequences and prayed that the State be given a fresh date to argue its case either after his deposition or until after the writ petition filed by the RKP chief before Delhi High Court challenging his summoning by the commission was disposed off.

However, commission chairman M S Liberhan turned down the plea for a later date for oral arguments citing lack of time.

He said it had already been made clear that arguments should be concluded before February 25, 2004 as the tenure of the commission had been extended only up to March 31.

The commission, however, granted him liberty to place written submissions before it on or before February 25.

Kalyan has staunchly declined to appear before the commission despite it summoning him.