GPCC demands appointment of 'Lokayukta' in Gujarat

Vadodara, Apr 9: Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) today (Apr 9) demanded that Chief Minister Narendra Modi should immediately appoint ''Lokayukta'' in the state.

Talking to reporters here, President of the Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) Arjun Modhwadia said that the post of Lokayukta in the state has been lying vacant since 2004 and Modi has not made any appointment despite recommendations by the Gujarat Governor and Chief Justice of the Gujarat High Court to do so, for reasons best known to him.

The previous governments led by both the Congress and the BJP in the state had appointed Lokayukta. There was Lokayukta here between 1988 and 2004. But after the expiry of the term of Justice(retired) S M Soni on Nov 24, 2004, the state has been without Lokayukta, Modhwadia said adding that Modi became Chief Minister of the state in Oct 2001.

Calling it as Modi''s ''double speak'', Modhwadia said on the one hand Modi was supporting Anna Hazare for his crusade against corruption and demanding introduction of Lokpal Bill and on the other hand he has stalled the appointment of Lokayukta in his own state.

PTI