In a setback to the Narendra Modi government, Gujarat high court on Thursday upheld the decision of the governor to grant sanction to prosecute minister Purshottam Solanki overruling the state Cabinet in the alleged `400 crores fishing contracts scam.
Justice R.H. Shukla while dismissing the petition filed by Solanki challenging governor Kamala Beniwal’s decision held that her order was legal.
“The order of the governor is legal and she has exercised her power which are not alien to her,” Justice Shukla observed.
In July last, Mr Solanki, the fisheries minister, had moved the high court seeking to cancel the order of the governor granting sanction for his prosecution overruling the state council of ministers.
He had claimed that the decision of the governor overruling the council of ministers and granting the prosecution under the Prevention of Corruption Act was totally illegal, unconstitutional and outside her purview.
In his petition, Mr Solanki had sought governor’s decision to be declared unconstitutional and requested the HC to set aside the decision taken by her.
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Jethmalani slams team a, backs Anna
Age correspondent
New Delhi, Sept. 20
Appreciating Anna Hazare’s fight against corruption, well-known jurist and Rajya Sabha MP Ram Jethmalani has criticised the decision of some members of his erstwhile team to form a political party.
In an open letter of support to Mr Hazare, Mr Jethmalani has said that the “foolish project” of the Arvind Kejriwal-led group to form a party seems to be instigated by those against whom Mr Hazare is fighting.
Interestingly, the BJP MP has also said that Mr Hazare “must identify candidates of Opposition parties who do not have a spotless clean image for integrity and selfless service of the nation”.
“Use all your pressure on the leaders of those parties to withdraw candidates of questionable credentials. If they do not, fight against them,” Mr Jethmalani said in the letter, assuring his “cooperation and assistance at all limits” to Mr Hazare.
The lawyer, however, did not take the name of Mr Kejriwal.