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New Delhi, Jan 2
(ANI): The Congress Party on Wednesday welcomed the Supreme Court's
decision to reject the Gujarat Government's challenge to the appointment
of retired judge R.A. Mehta as the state's Lokayukta, and said the
verdict proves beyond doubt that dictatorship was prevailing in Gujarat.
Congress General Secretary B.K.
Hariprasad said the apex court's verdict regarding the appointment of
Lokayukta in Gujarat proves that the decision taken Governor Kamla
Beniwal is perfect.
"And, it has proved beyond doubt, that in Gujarat,
there was no democratic norms and practice. And, it has proved beyond
doubt, that in Gujarat, that dictatorship was prevailing," he added.
Congress spokesperson Rashid Alvi
also welcomed the Supreme Court's verdict, saying it is unfortunate
that there was no Lokayukta in Gujarat for the last eight years.
"And, the Bharatiya Janata Party
(BJP) Government in Gujarat made all attempts to ensure that a Lokayukta
in Gujarat is not appointed, they even demanded that the state Governor
should be called back," he added.
Alvi also questioned the BJP move's double standards on the issue of Lokpal and Lokayukta.
Earlier, the Supreme Court upheld
the appointment of Justice (retired) Mehta as the state's Lokayukta by
Governor Kamla Beniwal.
The apex court, which rejected
the Modi Government's contention that the Lokayukta was appointed
unilaterally by the Governor, and hence, had breached the constitutional
norms and was done without taking its consent, 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.
Governor Beniwal had appointed
Justice (retired) Mehta to the post of Lokayukta in Gujarat on August 25
last year. The post had been lying vacant for the last eight years.
The Gujarat High Court had
earlier on January 18 last year upheld the appointment of Lokayukta by
the Governor, while dismissing the plea of the state challenging it.
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