Gujarat: Supreme Court upholds appointment of Lokayukta

New Delhi, Jan 2: In a setback for

-led

government, the

on Wednesday, Jan 2 upheld the appointment of Justice (retd) RA Mehta as Gujarat's

.

The apex court dismissed Gujarat government's plea challenging Governor Kamla Beniwal's decision to appoint Mehta without consulting it.

The court ruled that the governor is bound to act under advice of Council of Ministers, but the appointment of Justice Mehta was right as it was done in consultation with Gujarat High Court chief justice.

"Narendra Modi thinks of himself above law. God knows what struck him that he opposed Justice Mehta's appointment," said activist Teesta Setalvad, when asked for her reaction to the Supreme Court ruling.

"The verdict proves that the decision taken by the governor was correct and that their was no democracy in Gujarat ever," a Gujarat Congress leader said. He added that the ruling proves that dictatorship prevails in the state.

PTI