Gujarat gets Lokayukta after decade

Retd Justice D P Buch sworn in by Governor Kamla Beniwal

Retired Justice D P Buch was sworn in as Lokayukta of the state by Gujarat Governor Kamla Beniwal in Gandhinagar on Wednesday. The swearing in function was attended by Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi and his cabinet colleagues.

Last month Modi government had approved the name of retired Justice Buch, former judge of the Gujarat High court for the post of state Lokayukta and recommended it to Gujarat Governor for appointment.

Following this he was appointed by the Governor. Gujarat will now have a Lokayukta after nearly a decade.

The appointment also came at a time when Modi, who is BJP Prime Ministerial candidate, was facing flak from Congress over the post lying vacant for a long time.

The Opposition party had said Modi had been repeatedly raising the issue of corruption under the Congress-led UPA government, but failed to appoint Lokayukta in his own state.

Earlier appointment of Lokayukta in August 2011 of retd Justice R A Mehta by Governor Kamla Beniwal, overruling the decision of Modi and his council of ministers, had steered a controversy resulting in political stand-off between Modi government and the Governor.

This was followed by a two year-long legal battle with state government challenging the appointment of Mehta in Gujarat High Court and later in Apex Court.

Finally after Supreme Court upheld Mehta's appointment by the Governor, state government approached the retired high court judge to take charge.

However, Mehta declined to assume office saying that he was 'hurt' by the mind-set and attitude of Gujarat government that opposed his appointment.

He also blasted Modi government for terming him as biased and anti-government. He further blamed the BJP government in the state for not respecting and upholding the dignity of Lokayukta office.