"Modi govt planning to amend Lokayukta Act"

Two former ministers in Narendra Modi's government have requested Gujarat Governor Dr Kamla to administer oath of office to the newly appointed Lokayukta, retired justice RA Mehta, at the earliest.

Talking to newsmen in Vadodara on Thursday, Nalin Bhatt, former state BJP secretary and

ministerial colleague of Narendra Modi said, "a delegation headed by Gordhan Zadaphiya, former home minister in Modi government, met the governor yesterday and stressed the need to administer oath of office to Mehta at the earliest."

"We brought to Governor's notice that the Modi government was planning to amend the Lokayukta Act so that power of appointing Lokayukta could remain with the Council of Ministers and government can have its own nominee as Lokayukta ," Bhat, former state secretary of BJP, said.

The Modi govt wants to amend the Act during the two-day session of state assembly on September 25-26, Bhatt stated.

The state government has approached the Gujarat high court against the Governor's decision to appoint Mehta as Lokayukta, claiming it to be unconstitutional.