Nearly 19 months after he retired as a Supreme Court judge, Justice Ajay Manikrao Khanwilkar was appointed the chairperson of the anti-corruption ombudsman Lokpal on Tuesday (27th Feb 2024). The post fell vacant nearly two years ago.

“President Droupadi Murmu is pleased to appoint Justice Ajay Manikrao Khanwilkar as the chairperson of the Lokpal,” a statement released by Rashtrapati Bhavan said.

Justice Khanwilkar had a six-year tenure as an SC judge. In his last year, he authored a series of crucial verdicts that validated the state’s sweeping powers against citizens in special legislations — the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act and the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Act. He retired in July 2022.

The government has also appointed six members, including three judicial members, to the Lokpal. 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 and Law Commission Chairperson Ritu Raj Awasthi are judicial members; non-judicial members include former Chief Election Commissioner Sushil Chandra, former Chief Secretary of Gujarat Pankaj Kumar and former Rural Development Secretary Ajay Tirkey.

The Lokpal chairperson and the members are appointed for a term of five years or serve till they are 70 years old, whichever is earlier. The first Lokpal chairperson was former Supreme Court Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghose, who had assumed office in March 2019. Since his retirement in May 2022, former Jharkhand HC Chief Justice Pradip Kumar Mohanty has been the acting Lokpal chairperson.

Justice Awasthi was appointed the chairperson of the 22nd Law Commission in November 2022. The panel’s tenure ends in August 2024. During his tenure, the panel submitted a key report in support of retaining sedition as a criminal offence..

Source : Indian Express