State govt rejects Guv’s choice for Lokayukta

According to Opposition leader Shaktisinh Gohil,the Chief Justice recommended the name of Justice (retd) R A Mehta for Lokayukta after the earlier nominee, Justice (retd) S D Dave,expressed his unwillingness to take up the job for “personal reasons”.

“I conveyed my consent to the Governor. She too cleared Justice (retd) Mehta’s name and sent it to state government for issuing a notification for his appointment as Lokayukta. But the state government has not done it,” Gohil said.

When contacted,the state’s law minister Dilip Sanghani said the appointment of Lokayukta was the constitutional right of the government. “The state government has to choose an objective person through consultation and nobody can insist it choose a certain individual. The Governor can only recommend a name,” Sanghani said.

Asked about the status of the recommendation to notify Justice (retd) Mehta’s as Lokayukta,the minister said: “We are searching for a good nominee and Justice Mehta is not under consideration.”