SC upholds appointment of Just. RA Mehta as Lokayukta of Gujarat
/ 0
- Current News
- Wednesday, 02 January 2013 11:55
- Published on Wednesday, 02 January 2013 11:55
- Hits: 401
Gujarat Global News Network, Ahmedabad
The Supreme Court has upheld the appointment of Justice Mehta as Lokayukta of Gujarat by Governor Kamla Beniwal.
The SC rejected the state government’s contention that Mehta was appointed unilaterally by the Governor and hence had breached the constitutional norms and was done without taking its consent. In its verdict, the Supreme Court said that appointment was valid as the Governor had appointed the Lokayukta after taking into consideration the views of the Chief Justice of Gujarat High Court.
A bench of justices BS Chauhan and FM Ibrahim Kalifulla rejected the state's appeal against the order of the Gujarat High Court which had upheld the Governor's decision last January. “Governor is bound to act under advice of Council of Ministers but appointment is right as it was done in consultation with Gujarat HC Chief Justice,” the court said. The bench ordered that immediate steps be taken to see that Justice Mehta is appointed as Lokayukta.
Gujarat government had challenged the appointment on the grounds that the governor Kamala Beniwal had not consulted the state government. It had claimed that the Governor has to act on the advice of the Cabinet and its consent is must for the appointment of Lokayukta. It had argued that the appointment was done by Governor Beniwal without following due procedure in an unconstitutional manner.
The High Court had on January 18 rejected the Gujarat government's plea against the appointment, three months after it had given a split verdict. Justice V M Sahai, who decided the matter as a third judge had said the "pranks" played by the chief minister on the Lokayukta issue "demonstrates deconstruction of our democracy."
For News in Hindi, see our Hindi daily Chaupal Chronicle
