Ahmedabad:
Justice VM Sahai of the Gujarat High Court is expected to deliver a verdict on a petition related to the appointment of the Lokayukta in the state today.
Justice Sahai was assigned the case after a split verdict by a division bench which heard a petition moved by the Narendra Modi government challenging the appointment of the Lokayukta by the state governor bypassing the state government.
In August last year, Governor Kamla Beniwal had appointed retired High court judge RA Mehta as the state Lokayukta, a post lying vacant since November 2003. The Modi government had challenged the appointment before the High Court on the same day, contending that the governor's action was unconstitutional and unilateral.
On October 11, the division bench delivered a split verdict. While Justice Kureshi, who headed the bench, upheld the governor's action, Justice Gokani held the appointment as unconstitutional.