Former Supreme Court judge A M Khanwilkar was appointed as the chairperson of the anti-corruption ombudsman Lokpal on Tuesday, filling a vacancy that persisted for nearly two years. The position had remained vacant since Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghose completed his term on May 27, 2022.
Currently, Justice Pradip Kumar Mohanty, a judicial member of the Lokpal, is serving as the acting chairperson. President Droupadi Murmu announced the appointment of Justice Ajay Manikrao Khanwilkar as the chairperson of the Lokpal, as per a communique issued by the Rashtrapati Bhavan. Justice Khanwilkar retired from the Supreme Court in July 2022.
In addition to Justice Khanwilkar, retired justices Lingappa Narayana Swamy, Sanjay Yadav, and Ritu Raj Awasthi have been appointed as judicial members of the anti-corruption ombudsman. Meanwhile, Sushil Chandra, Pankaj Kumar, and Ajay Tirkey will serve as non-judicial members, according to the communique.
These appointments will come into effect from the dates the respective appointees assume charge of their offices. The chairperson and members of the Lokpal are appointed by the President following the recommendations of a Selection Committee, with the Prime Minister serving as its chairperson. The Lokpal can have a total of eight members, comprising four judicial and an equal number of non-judicial members.