Narendra Modi has his way, diluted Lokayukta Bill passed for Gujarat

Narendra Modi's government today took advantage of the opposition's absence in the state assembly to pass without fracas a diluted Gujarat Lokayukta Commission Bill 2013, which includes no change sought by the state's governor, Kamla Beniwal. Ms Beniwal had last month returned the bill, which proposes to give all powers to appoint the state Lokayukta or ombudsman to a committee headed by the Chief Minister, virtually eliminating the governor as well as the Chief Justice of the Gujarat High Court from the process.