Additional Principal Sessions Judge Jyotsana Yagnik had asked all lawyers representing the prosecution and 68 accused to remain present as the court has decided to hear the case on daily basis.
The trial will be conducted inside Sabarmati Central Jail, as the state government has invoked section 268 of the Criminal Procedure Code(CrPC) against all the accused in the case, restricting their movement inside the prison.
This is the third specially designated judge who is assigned to conduct the trial of this case. Previously Bela Trivedi and V P Patel was hearing the case until the Supreme Court stayed the trial on February 15, 2010.
The apex court vacated its stay on the trial on July 6, 2011 and now the court has to frame charges against three more accused, who were arrested in the meantime.
Authorities have made arrests from 11 states across the country and most of those arrested are facing trials in different cases in several courts outside Gujarat.
Those accused who were arraigned in the cases in other states are being tried through video conferencing in courts in Karnataka, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh.
Also Read
As many as 58 people were killed and over 200 injured in around 20 serial blasts that rocked Ahmedabad on July 26, 2008, allegedly carried out by the Indian Mujahideen(IM), apparently in an act of revenge for the 2002 riots.
More then 35 FIRs have been filed and nearly 24 accused are still absconding, including Riyaz Bhatkal, Mufti Sufiyan Patangia.