Justice R R Awasthi Sworn In As Judicial Member, Lokpal

• Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi was sworn in as judicial member, Lokpal. The oath was administered by Justice A. M. Khanwilkar, Chairperson, Lokpal of India.
• Shri Pankaj Kumar and Shri Ajay Tirkey took oath as member, Lokpal. The oath ceremony was organised today at Lokpal of India office in New Delhi.
• The new appointments took place as two existing Judicial Members namely Justice P. K. Mohanty and Justice Abhilasha Kumari and three Members namely Shri D. K. Jain, Smt. Archana Ramasundaram and Shri Mahender Singh have completed their tenure in Lokpal on 26th March 2024.
• Shri Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi, before joining as Judicial Member, Lokpal of India, was serving as the Chairperson of 22nd Law Commission of India. Before that, he was Chief Justice of Karnataka High Court.
• Shri Pankaj Kumar is a 1986 batch IAS officer from Gujarat cadre. Before joining as Member of Lokpal of India, he was serving as Chief Secretary of Gujarat.
• Shri Ajay Tirkey is a 1987 batch IAS officer from Madhya Pradesh cadre. Before joining as Member of Lokpal of India, he was serving as Secretary of Department of Land Resources, Government of India.

ABOUT LOKPAL IN INDIA:

• The idea of a constitutional ombudsman in India was first presented in Parliament in the early 1960s by Law Minister Ashok Kumar Sen.
• The terms Lokpal and Lokayukta were introduced by eminent jurist LM Singhvi.
• The Lokpal and Lokayukta Act, 2013 provided for the institution of Lokpal for the Union and Lokayukta for the States.
• These institutions are statutory bodies with no constitutional status.
• Till 2011, eight attempts were made to pass a bill related to this, but all attempts were unsuccessful.
• In the year 2011, the government constituted a group of ministers under the chairmanship of Pranab Mukherjee to give suggestions to curb corruption. This committee was formed to examine the proposal of Lokpal Bill.
• The ‘India Movement against Corruption’ under the leadership of Anna Hazare put pressure on the then UPA government at the Centre. As a result, the Lokpal and Lokayukta Bill, 2013 was passed in both the houses of the Parliament.
• On January 1, 2014, the President gave his assent to it, which came into force on January 16, 2014.
• The Lokpal and Lokayukta Act, 2013 has provided for the institution of Lokpal for the Center and Lokayukta for the states.