Retired Supreme Court judge Pinaki Chandra Ghose was made the first Lokpal (anti-corruption watchdog). His appointment has cleared by the President Ram Nath Kovind.
According to an official communique issued by the Rastrapati Bhawan-
“The President of India has been pleased to appoint the following as Lokpal:-
Chairperson
1. Shri Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghose
Judicial Members
2. Shri Justice Dilip B. Bhosale
3. Shri Justice Pradip Kumar Mohanty
4. Smt. Justice Abhilasha Kumari
5. Shri Justice Ajay Kumar Tripathi
Members other than Judicial Members
6. Shri Dinesh Kumar Jain
7. Smt. Archana Ramasundaram
8. Shri Mahender Singh
9. Dr. Indrajeet Prasad Gautam
The above appointments will take effect from the dates they assume charge of their respective offices.”
The Selection Committee met last week, it consisted of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi, Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan, and Jurist Mukul Rohatgi.
The opposition leader Mallikarjun Kharge failed to attend the meeting that was arranged on Friday. Mr.Kharge was invited as a ‘special invitee’. Special invitees don’t have any powers to appointment or select the Lokpal, but instead are mere spectators in the committee meetings.
PC Ghose’s name was finalised in the Lokpal Selection Committee meet that was held on Friday, last week.
The announcement comes only because the Supreme Court of India gave the selection committee 10 days time to announce a name.