Justice Pinaki Ghose took oath as first Lokpal chairperson of India
Highlights
- President Ram Nath Kovind administered him the oath of office
- Justice Ghose, 66, was selected by a panel led by Prime Minister Modi
- Lokpal has powers to probe corruption allegations against ruling leaders
Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghose today took oath as the first Lokpal or anti-corruption ombudsman of India just days before the general elections. President Ram Nath Kovind administered him the oath of office at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, in the presence of Vice President Venkaiah Naidu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi.
Justice Ghose, 66, was selected by a panel led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi weeks after the February-end deadline set by the Supreme Court.
He was serving as the member of the National Human Rights Commission when his name was announced for the post of Lokpal chairperson.
As Lokpal of the country, Justice Ghose has the power to probe into allegations of corruption against sitting and former ministers and parliamentarians. His appointment comes five years after the Lokpal Act was approved by the President on January 1, 2014.
Justice Ghose retired as a Supreme Court judge in 2017. He was elevated to the top court in 2013, after serving as a judge of the Calcutta High Court and Chief Justice of Andhra Pradesh High Court.
As the Chief Justice of the Andhra Pradesh High Court, he had convicted Sasikala, close aide of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, in a corruption case.
On Tuesday, Justice Ghose was named as the country's anti-corruption ombudsman alongwith former Chief Justices of different high courts -- Justices Dilip B Bhosale, Pradip Kumar Mohanty, Abhilasha Kumari -- besides sitting Chief Justice of Chhattisgarh High Court Ajay Kumar Tripathi as judicial members in the Lokpal.
Justice Ghose will hold his office for a term of five years or till he is 70.