Justice P. Lakshman Reddy was sworn in as the Lokayukta of the State on Sunday. Governor Biswa Bhusan Harichandan administered the oath to him at Tummalapalli Kshetrayya Kalakshetram here.
Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy accompanied by many senior officials of the State attended the event.
Justice Lakshman Reddy will be holding the position for the next five years. He is the first Lokayukta to be assuming charge since the State was bifurcated in 2014.
Secretary (GAD- Political) R.P. Sisodia read out the orders relating to the appointment of Justice Lakshman Reddy with the permission of the Governor. Soon after oath-taking, the Governor and the Chief Minister greeted the new Lokayukta.
High Court judges, CM’s Advisor Ajeya Kallam, City Police Commissioner Dwaraka Tirumala Rao, Vijayawada (Central) MLA Malladi Vishnu and family members of Justice Lakshman Reddy were among those present.
Humble beginnings
Born in an agriculture family on April 18, 1945, in Paidipalem of Simhadripuram mandal in Kadapa district, Justice Lakshman Reddy completed his education in Kadapa and Bangalore and enrolled himself as an advocate in December 1972 in the Kadapa district court. He later became principal district and sessions judge (PDJ) and was elevated as a High Court judge in May 2005. From April 2007 to April 2010, he was the vice-chairman of the Central Administrative Tribunal at Hyderabad during which time he quashed the appointments of several IAS and IPS officers as heads of police, forest and other administrative wings when these postings were found to be contrary to the cadre rules governing the civil servants.
