History · 22 Aug 2026

Nanavati Commission

Consider the following statements regarding the Nanavati Commission on the 1984 anti-Sikh riots:

  1. It was constituted under the Commissions of Inquiry Act, 1952.
  2. Its report, tabled in 2005, led to a formal apology by the Prime Minister in Parliament.
  3. Sajjan Kumar's 2018 conviction in the riots case was secured entirely on the basis of the Commission's findings, without any separate criminal trial.
A1 only
B2 only
C1 and 2 only
D1, 2 and 3
This question is based on: Sajjan Kumar Is Dead. The Question His Case Raised Isn't.
Take this in full test mode → Instructions for 22 Aug 2026
About this question

Why in news

Sajjan Kumar, a three-time Lok Sabha MP, died on August 20, 2026 while serving a life sentence for the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, reviving scrutiny of the 34-year gap between the violence and his first conviction.

Why for UPSC

UPSC frequently tests the distinction between the fact-finding role of commissions of inquiry and the adjudicatory role of courts - a distinction this current event makes concrete and testable.

Prelims summary

Commissions of Inquiry (under the 1952 Act) investigate and report but do not convict; convictions require separate criminal trials, as in the Sajjan Kumar case where the Nanavati Commission's 2005 findings preceded his 2018 court conviction by 13 years.

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