Kamla Beniwal
Encyclopedia
Kamla Beniwal is the Governor of the Indian state of Gujarat. Before this she was the Governor of Tripura
. She is a senior congress politician from Rajasthan
state. She served as minister in a number of congress ministries in Rajasthan state government.
The 83 year old Kamla was first female governor of any North East state.
She was born in the village Gaurir in Jhunjhunu
district.
At the age of 27, she was the first female minister in Rajasthan. Kamla has been a minister in Congress governments in Rajasthan since 1954, holding many portfolios, including home, education and agriculture. She was the revenue minister in the Ashok Gehlot
government.
as the Lokayukta under The governor took the action under Section 3 of the Gujarat Lokayukta Act,
1986, which gives the Governor the right to appoint Lokayukta without consulting the
government, in cases of extreme delay. Beniwal bypassed the Narendra Modi
government of Gujarat, who had been sitting on the matter of appointing an Lokayukta
(ombudsman) since 2004.
Justice Mehta's name had been recommended by the Chief Justice of the Gujarat High Court
in June but the government had not been acting on it for two months. In August, the father of murdered RTI
activist Amit Jethwa
filed a Public Interest Litigation
in the High Court, which then served a show cause notice on the government for the delay in appointment of Lokayukta. In response, the Narendra Modi cabinet had set up another committee of five ministers to look into the matter. This was widely viewed as a "a move to delay the appointment" of an anti-corruption chief.
Beniwal's action, coming against this background, is a bold step by a titular head of government. The step coincided with the Anna Hazare
led 2011 Indian anti-corruption movement
, coming on the 13th day of his fast, and attracted considerable media attention. Justice RA Mehta is known to be close to Hazare.
The action has been challenged in court by Narendra Modi
's government, who called the move "unconstitutional".
Tripura
Tripura is a state in North-East India, with an area of . It is the third smallest state of India, according to area. Tripura is surrounded by Bangladesh on the north, south, and west. The Indian states of Assam and Mizoram lie to the east. The capital is Agartala and the main languages spoken are...
. She is a senior congress politician from Rajasthan
Rajasthan
Rājasthān the land of Rajasthanis, , is the largest state of the Republic of India by area. It is located in the northwest of India. It encompasses most of the area of the large, inhospitable Great Indian Desert , which has an edge paralleling the Sutlej-Indus river valley along its border with...
state. She served as minister in a number of congress ministries in Rajasthan state government.
The 83 year old Kamla was first female governor of any North East state.
She was born in the village Gaurir in Jhunjhunu
Jhunjhunu
Jhunjhunu is a town in the state of Rajasthan in India, and the administrative headquarters of Jhunjhunu District. It is located a 180 km from Jaipur and 245 km from Delhi. The town is famous for the frescos on its grand Havelis, a special artistic feature of this region.- Etymology...
district.
At the age of 27, she was the first female minister in Rajasthan. Kamla has been a minister in Congress governments in Rajasthan since 1954, holding many portfolios, including home, education and agriculture. She was the revenue minister in the Ashok Gehlot
Ashok Gehlot
Ashok Gehlot is the 21st & 23rd Chief Minister of the state of Rajasthan, India.-Personal:Shri Ashok Gehlot, son of Late Shri Laxman Singh Gehlot, was born on 3 May 1951 in Jodhpur, Rajasthan. A Science and Law Graduate, Shri Gehlot holds an M.A. in Economics. Married to Smt. Sunita Gehlot on 27...
government.
Appointment of Gujarat Lokayukta
The Lokayukta is a state-level body for checking on actions of the government, particularly corruption. in August 2011, Ms Beniwal appointed Justice R A MehtaR A Mehta
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....
as the Lokayukta under The governor took the action under Section 3 of the Gujarat Lokayukta Act,
1986, which gives the Governor the right to appoint Lokayukta without consulting the
government, in cases of extreme delay. Beniwal bypassed the 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...
government of Gujarat, who had been sitting on the matter of appointing an 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...
(ombudsman) since 2004.
Justice Mehta's name had been recommended by 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...
in June but the government had not been acting on it for two months. In August, the father of 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...
filed 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...
in the High Court, which then served a show cause notice on the government for the delay in appointment of Lokayukta. In response, the Narendra Modi cabinet had set up another committee of five ministers to look into the matter. This was widely viewed as a "a move to delay the appointment" of an anti-corruption chief.
Beniwal's action, coming against this background, is a bold step by a titular head of government. The step coincided with the 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...
led 2011 Indian anti-corruption movement
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...
, coming on the 13th day of his fast, and attracted considerable media attention. Justice RA Mehta is known to be close to Hazare.
The action has been challenged in court by 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 government, who called the move "unconstitutional".