Cong MLAs urge guv to clear path to office for Guj Lokayukta

Congress MLAs today handed over a memorandum to Gujarat Governor Kamla Beniwal urging her to issue a gazette notification which would enable Justice (retd) RA Mehta to immediately take charge as the state Lokayukta.
Supreme Court had last week dismissed Gujarat government's curative petition seeking re-examination of its verdict upholding Mehta's appointment to the office.
The delegation of Congress MLAs which met the governor was led by the Assembly's Leader of Opposition, Shankarsinh Vaghela, and the party's state president, Arjun Modhwadia.
"We have urged her to issue a notification for appointment of Mehta so that he can immediately assume charge," Vaghela said.

"Chief Minister (Narendra Modi) has been blocking the appointment of Lokayukta for the last 10 years," Vaghela alleged.
"The Gujarat government had not appointed a Lokayukta and, as a result, the governor had to use her constitutional powers to appoint one," Vaghela stated.
"Even in the Comptroller and Auditor General report, there have been allegations of corruption against the Chief Minister and (his Cabinet colleagues)," he further said.
Documents and evidence have been handed over to the President of India regarding 17 corruption cases over irregularities of Rs 1 lakh crore involving Gujarat government ministers, he added.