SC junks Modi govt's plea on lokayukta

The Supreme Court on Thursday dismissed Gujarat government's petition seeking re-examination of its earlier order that quashed the appointment of Justice (retd) RA Mehta as the state lokayukta. HT reports.

The Supreme Court on Thursday dismissed Gujarat government's petition seeking re-examination of its earlier order that quashed the appointment of Justice (retd) RA Mehta as the state lokayukta.

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A five-judge bench headed by outgoing Chief Justice Altamas Kabir did not find merit in the curative petition filed by Narendra Modi government after its review was dismissed. The state wanted reversal of the Gujarat High Court's decision holding Justice Mehta's appointment by governor Kamla Beniwal valid and legal.

A curative petition is decided by the three senior-most judges of the SC and the judges who deliver the verdict. It's the last procedural resort for a litigant to seek redressal against the SC verdict.

A bench comprising justices BS Chauhan and FM Ibrahim Kalifulla had on January 2 upheld the Gujarat High Court's verdict supporting the governor's decision to appoint the lokayukta.

The state had contended before the SC that a lokayukta could not be appointed without the government's advice.