Gujarat will implement SC judgement on Lokayukta soon

GANDHINAGAR: With the Supreme Court today upholding Governor Kamla Beniwal's decision to appoint Justice (retd) R A Mehta as Gujarat Lokayukta, the Narendra Modi government said it would soon implement the apex court judgement.

"We will soon implement the Supreme Court judgement on Lokayukta," state Law Minister Bhupindersinh Chudasama said here.

"The Supreme Court has accepted Gujarat government's contention that Governor has to act as per the advice of the Council of Ministers," he added.

A detailed reaction on the issue could only be given after reading the judgement, Chudasama said.

In a setback to the Gujarat government, the Supreme Court upheld Mehta's appointment as the state Lokayukta, saying it was done in consultation with the Chief Justice of Gujarat High Court.

The Governor was bound to act under advice of Council of Ministers, but in this case the appointment was not wrong since it was done in consultation with the High Court Chief Justice, the apex court said.

Governor Kamla Beniwal had on August 25 last year appointed Justice Mehta to the post of Lokayukta, which had been lying vacant for the last eight years.