Former Supreme Court judge A.M. Khanwilkar appointed Lokpal chairperson

Former High Court judges Lingappa Narayana Swamy, Sanjay Yadav and Ritu Raj Awasthi have been appointed as judicial members of the Lokpal.

Justice A.M. Khanwilkar retired from the Supreme Court in July 2022. File | Photo Credit: The Hindu

Former Supreme Court judge A.M. Khanwilkar was appointed as the chairperson of the anti-corruption ombudsman Lokpal on Tuesday, nearly two years after the post fell vacant.

The Lokpal has been working without its regular chief after Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghose completed his term on May 27, 2022.

Justice Pradip Kumar Mohanty, a judicial member of the Lokpal, is currently the acting chairperson.

Justice Khanwilkar retired from the Supreme Court in July 2022.

A communique issued by the Rashtrapati Bhavan said that retired justices Lingappa Narayana Swamy, Sanjay Yadav and Ritu Raj Awasthi have been appointed as judicial members of the anti-corruption ombudsman.

Sushil Chandra, Pankaj Kumar and Ajay Tirkey will be non-judicial members, the communique stated.

These appointments will take effect from the dates they assume charge of their respective offices, it added.

The chairperson and members of the Lokpal are appointed by the President after obtaining the recommendations of a Selection Committee having the Prime Minister as its chairperson.

Apart from a chairperson, the Lokpal can have eight members, four judicial and four non-judicial.