Justice AM Khanwilkar is Lokpal chairperson

New Delhi, February 27

Close to two years after Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghose retired as the chairperson of the anti-corruption ombudsman, Lokpal, former Supreme Court judge AM Khanwilkar was on Tuesday appointed as his successor. After Justice Ghose completed his term on May 27, 2022, Justice Pradip Kumar Mohanty, a judicial member of the Lokpal, has been functioning as its acting chairperson.

President Droupadi Murmu was pleased to appoint Justice Ajay Manikrao Khanwilkar as the chairperson of the Lokpal, the Rashtrapati Bhavan announced. Justice Khanwilkar retired from the Supreme Court in July 2022.

Former Himachal Pradesh High Court Chief Justice Lingappa Narayana Swamy, former Allahabad High Court Chief Justice Sanjay Yadav and former Karnataka High Court Chief Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi have been appointed as judicial members of the Lokpal, a Rashtrapati Bhavan communiqué stated. Justice Awasthi is currently the Chairman of the Law Commission of India.

Former Chief Election Commissioner Sushil Chandra, former Gujarat Chief Secretary Pankaj Kumar, and Madhya Pradesh Cadre IAS and former Women and Child Development Secretary Ajay Tirkey will be non-judicial members. The appointments will take effect from the dates they assume charge of their respective office. The chairperson and members of the Lokpal are appointed by the President after obtaining the recommendations of a Selection Committee with the Prime Minister as its Chairperson. Apart from that, the Lokpal can have eight members — four each judicial and non-judicial.

Enacted in 2013, the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act received Presidential assent on January 1, 2014, and came into force on January 16, 2014. However, it had taken more than five years to appoint Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghose – a retired judge of the Supreme Court – as the first Chairperson of Lokpal in March 2019. — TNS

Judicial members

Lingappa Narayana Swamy | Justice Sanjay Yadav | Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi

Non-judicial members

Sushil Chandra | Pankaj Kumar | Ajay Tirkey