Guj HC rejects plea challenging formation of Shah commission

Ahmedabad: Gujarat High Court today dismissed a public interest litigation (PIL) challenging the constitution of Justice M B Shah Commission. Petitioner Gunwantrai Joshi, social activist from Jamnagar, had contended that the manner in which the notification for appointing the commission was issued by the state government revealed that the intent was to avert the probe of important matters by state Lokayukta. But the division bench of acting Chief Justice Bhaskar Bhattacharya and Justice J B Pardiwala dismissed the PIL, saying there was no substance in the contentions. During the hearing, Joshi’s lawyer Vivek Mapara had demanded that notification appointing the commission be quashed, and all the matters before it be transfered to the Lokayukta. [caption id=“attachment_216098” align=“alignleft” width=“380” caption=" Gujarat High Court today dismissed a public interest litigation (PIL) challenging the constitution of Justice M B Shah Commission. AFP"]  [/caption] Chief Minister Narendra Modi appointed the Shah Commission in August 2011 after the opposition Congress submitted a memorandum to President Pratibha Patil, levelling corruption accusations against Modi in 16 cases. Advocate Mapara had argued that the state government had reservations about the appointment of Justice R A Mehta as Gujarat Lokayukta, and on the day (August 16, 2011) the Governor invited a formal proposal for appointment of Lokayukta, Modi government issued the notification appointing M B Shah commission. Language used in the notification suggested that the government, under the garb of Commission of Inquiry, was trying to justify its actions, he said. PTI