<p>The petition filed by one Bhikhabhai Jethva in September came up for hearing before the division bench of justices Akil Kureshi and Sonia Gokani.<br />Kureshi said till the decision on the appointment of Gujarat Lokayukta was not taken, the petition on contempt of court cannot be heard and adjourned the matter till December 19.<br /><br />Jethva's advocate A J Yagnik had filed a petition seeking contempt of court proceeding against Modi for writing a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on appointment of Lokayukta in September and getting it published in the media when the matter was sub-judice as the government had challenged the appointment in the high court.<br /><br />The petition was heard together with other petitions on Lokayukta, but following the split verdict on appointment of the Gujarat Lokayukta on October 11, the petition is now heard independently.<br /><br />After the split verdict, the matter was being referred to the third judge for final decision by the Chief Justice.</p>.<p>While Justice Kureshi had upheld the decision of Governor Kamla, Justice Gokani had quashed the warrant of appointment issued by her terming it unconstitutional.<br /><br />On August 25, the governor bypassing the Narendra Modi- led government, appointed retired justice R A Mehta as the state Lokayukta, a post which was vacant since 2003.<br /><br />Aggrieved by this, the state government challenged it in the high court on the same day contending that the governor's decision was "unconstitutional and unilateral". <br /><br /></p>
<p>The petition filed by one Bhikhabhai Jethva in September came up for hearing before the division bench of justices Akil Kureshi and Sonia Gokani.<br />Kureshi said till the decision on the appointment of Gujarat Lokayukta was not taken, the petition on contempt of court cannot be heard and adjourned the matter till December 19.<br /><br />Jethva's advocate A J Yagnik had filed a petition seeking contempt of court proceeding against Modi for writing a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on appointment of Lokayukta in September and getting it published in the media when the matter was sub-judice as the government had challenged the appointment in the high court.<br /><br />The petition was heard together with other petitions on Lokayukta, but following the split verdict on appointment of the Gujarat Lokayukta on October 11, the petition is now heard independently.<br /><br />After the split verdict, the matter was being referred to the third judge for final decision by the Chief Justice.</p>.<p>While Justice Kureshi had upheld the decision of Governor Kamla, Justice Gokani had quashed the warrant of appointment issued by her terming it unconstitutional.<br /><br />On August 25, the governor bypassing the Narendra Modi- led government, appointed retired justice R A Mehta as the state Lokayukta, a post which was vacant since 2003.<br /><br />Aggrieved by this, the state government challenged it in the high court on the same day contending that the governor's decision was "unconstitutional and unilateral". <br /><br /></p>