R A Mehta
Encyclopedia
R A Mehta is a retired justice of the Gujarat High Court
who is currently the Lokayukta
or ombudsman for the state of Gujarat, India
.
During his fourteen year tenure in the Gujarat High Court, he came to be known for his probity and sympathy for the poor. During the Morvi dam failure of 1979 (the worst flood disaster of Independent India), he had assisted the Justice BK Mehta commission in the investigations.
Appointed to the Gujarat High Court in 1983, he retired from service in 1998. Among his significant judgments of this period were the
abolition of carrying of night soil
on head by low-caste menials, and the regularisation
of street hawkers in Ahmedabad
. In the Golana massacre case, in which four Dalit
s were killed by upper-caste Darbars (Rajput
s), eleven of whom were sentenced to life, he gave guidelines for the government
and police to follow in case of caste and communal tensions.
He was also responsible for modernization and computerization of the Gujarat High Court.
After retirement, Justice Mehta served as the Director of Gujarat State Judicial
Academy. In 2006, after the Surat floods, he conducted a public hearing, and indited the minister Narottam Patel of Narendra Modi
's BJP government.
In June 2011, the Chief Justice of the Gujarat High Court
suggested his name as the Lokayukta
of Gujarat, a critical anti-corruption post that had been lying vacant for seven years.
However, the government of Gujarat was dragged its feet on formalizing his appointment.
In August 2011, responding to a Public Interest Litigation
filed by the father of the murdered RTI
-activist Amit Jethwa
, the High Court issued a show-cause notice to the government on the delay in appointment.
Eventually, the governor herself made the appointment, bypassing the government, leading to much constitutional debate.
His appointment came at a time of intense popular outburst against corruption in India, and on the 13th day of Anna Hazare
's hunger fast against corruption
. Justice Mehta is known to be close to Anna, who had stayed with him on a visit to Ahmedabad in May 2011.
Gujarat High Court
The Gujarat High Court is the High Court of the state of Gujarat. It was established on 1 May 1960 under the Bombay Re-organisation Act, 1960 after the state split from Bombay State.The seat of the court is Ahmedabad...
who is currently the Lokayukta
LokAyukta
The Lokayukta is an anti-corruption ombudsman organization in the Indian states.The Administrative Reforms Commission headed by Morarji Desai submitted a special interim report on "Problems of Redressal of Citizen's Grievances' in 1966...
or ombudsman for the state of Gujarat, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
.
During his fourteen year tenure in the Gujarat High Court, he came to be known for his probity and sympathy for the poor. During the Morvi dam failure of 1979 (the worst flood disaster of Independent India), he had assisted the Justice BK Mehta commission in the investigations.
Appointed to the Gujarat High Court in 1983, he retired from service in 1998. Among his significant judgments of this period were the
abolition of carrying of night soil
Night soil
Night soil is a euphemism for human excrement collected at night from cesspools, privies, etc. and sometimes used as a fertilizer. Night soil is produced as a result of a waste management system in areas without community infrastructure such as a sewage treatment facility, or individual septic...
on head by low-caste menials, and the regularisation
of street hawkers in Ahmedabad
Ahmedabad
Ahmedabad also known as Karnavati is the largest city in Gujarat, India. It is the former capital of Gujarat and is also the judicial capital of Gujarat as the Gujarat High Court has its seat in Ahmedabad...
. In the Golana massacre case, in which four Dalit
Dalit
Dalit is a designation for a group of people traditionally regarded as Untouchable. Dalits are a mixed population, consisting of numerous castes from all over South Asia; they speak a variety of languages and practice a multitude of religions...
s were killed by upper-caste Darbars (Rajput
Rajput
A Rajput is a member of one of the patrilineal clans of western, central, northern India and in some parts of Pakistan. Rajputs are descendants of one of the major ruling warrior classes in the Indian subcontinent, particularly North India...
s), eleven of whom were sentenced to life, he gave guidelines for the government
and police to follow in case of caste and communal tensions.
He was also responsible for modernization and computerization of the Gujarat High Court.
After retirement, Justice Mehta served as the Director of Gujarat State Judicial
Academy. In 2006, after the Surat floods, he conducted a public hearing, and indited the minister Narottam Patel of Narendra Modi
Narendra Modi
Narendra Damodardas Modi is the current Chief Minister of the Indian state of Gujarat.He was born in a middle class family in Vadnagar; and is a member of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh since childhood, as also an active politician since early in life. He holds a masters degree in political...
's BJP government.
In June 2011, the Chief Justice of the Gujarat High Court
Gujarat High Court
The Gujarat High Court is the High Court of the state of Gujarat. It was established on 1 May 1960 under the Bombay Re-organisation Act, 1960 after the state split from Bombay State.The seat of the court is Ahmedabad...
suggested his name as the Lokayukta
LokAyukta
The Lokayukta is an anti-corruption ombudsman organization in the Indian states.The Administrative Reforms Commission headed by Morarji Desai submitted a special interim report on "Problems of Redressal of Citizen's Grievances' in 1966...
of Gujarat, a critical anti-corruption post that had been lying vacant for seven years.
However, the government of Gujarat was dragged its feet on formalizing his appointment.
In August 2011, responding to a Public Interest Litigation
Public interest litigation
In Indian law, Public Interest Litigation OR जनहित याचिका means litigation for the protection of the public interest. It is litigation introduced in a court of law, not by the aggrieved party but by the court itself or by any other private party...
filed by the father of the murdered RTI
RTI
- Broadcasters :* Radiodiffusion Television Ivoirienne - The state broadcaster of Ivory Coast* Radio Taiwan International* Reti Televisive Italiane, Mediaset group * RTI Colombia, a TV production company- Other companies :...
-activist Amit Jethwa
Amit Jethwa
Amit Jethwa was an Indian environmentalist and social worker, active in the Gir Forest area near Junagadh, Gujarat. He had filed several court cases against illegal mining in the protected area, naming Bharatiya Janata Party member of parliament, Dinu Solanki as one of the respondents...
, the High Court issued a show-cause notice to the government on the delay in appointment.
Eventually, the governor herself made the appointment, bypassing the government, leading to much constitutional debate.
His appointment came at a time of intense popular outburst against corruption in India, and on the 13th day of Anna Hazare
Anna Hazare
Kisan Baburao Hazare , popularly known as Anna Hazare is an Indian social activist and a prominent leader in the 2011 Indian anti-corruption movement, using nonviolent methods following the teachings of Mahatma Gandhi...
's hunger fast against corruption
2011 Indian anti-corruption movement
The 2011 Indian anti-corruption movement is a series of ongoing demonstrations and protests across India intended to establish strong legislation and enforcement against endemic political corruption...
. Justice Mehta is known to be close to Anna, who had stayed with him on a visit to Ahmedabad in May 2011.