Gujarat Governor appoints retired Justice R.A.Mehta as Lokayukta

Ahmedabad, 26 August 2011

Gujarat opposition leader Shaktisinh Gohil today said that Gujarat Governor Dr. Kamla Beniwal has invoked special power under the Lokayukta act and issued notification to appoint retired acting Chief Justice of Gujarat High Court R.A.Mehta as new Lokayukta of Gujarat. Thus Gujarat has got Lokayukta after seven and half years. R.A.Mehta’s name was recommended by Gujarat High Court’s Chief Justice and Gujarat Governor. However the state government had not issued notification of Mehta’s appointment. Gujarat Governor who is in tussle with the Gujarat government for long period has on her own paved a way for Mehta’s appointment using special power.

Born on 4th May 1936. Enrolled as an Advocate on 7th March 1962.Retired Justice Ramesh Mehta practised at Rajkot for one year. He Practiced in the High Court of Gujarat from 1963 onwards. He Practiced in Constitutional, Civil, Criminal, Company Law, Excise, Labour Law matters. He worked as Additional Standing Counsel to the Central Government from 1974 to 1978. He again worked as Additional Standing Counsel to the Central Government from October 1982. He also worked as Advocate for Machhu Dam Inquiry Commission constituted by the Government of Gujarat. He was appointed as Additional Judge, Gujarat High Court on 5th September 1983 (A.N.) and confirmed as permanent Judge on 26th June 1984. He remained as Acting Chief Justice 12.9.1995 to 1.7.1996. He Retired on 4.5.1998.

After his retirement Justice Mehta has been occasionally spotted in various programmes of left-tilted NGOs mostly working on the subject of minority rights.

When Anna Hazare visited Gujarat last time(visit arranged by left-tilted Mallika Sarabhai), his stay was arranged at Justice RA Mehta’s house.