14 May,2009 04:57 PM IST | | IANS
The Gujarat High Court on Thursday ordered the state government to expedite distribution of compensation amounting to Rs.262.44 crore to the victims of communal violence of 2002.
The court order came following a bunch of petitions filed by the riot victims saying they were yet to receive the compensation released by the central government through the state government.
A state government representative told the court during the hearing of the petitions Thursday that the state government could not distribute the compensation as the model code of conduct was in place during the Lok Sabha elections.
The restrictions under the code of conduct will be lifted next week.
As many as 1,180 people were killed in the sectarian violence after the burning of a coach of the Sabarmati Express left 59 dead at the Godhra railway station in Gujarat February 27, 2002.
