President appoints former SC judge as new Lokpal chairperson

Former Supreme Court judge Ajay Manikrao Khanwilkar has been appointed as the new chairperson of Lokpal, announced Tuesday.

Justice Khanwilkar, who retired from the Supreme Court in July 2022, brings a wealth of experience to his new role.

According to a notification from Rashtrapati Bhawan, Justice Lingappa Narayana Swamy, Justice Sanjay Yadav, and Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi have been appointed as judicial members of Lokpal.

The non-judicial members include Sushil Chandra, Pankaj Kumar, and Ajay Tirkey. Currently, Justice Pradip Kumar Mohanty, a judicial member, is serving as the acting chairperson.

The appointment of the chairperson and members of Lokpal is carried out by the President following the recommendations of a Selection Committee chaired by the Prime Minister.

Lokpal, besides the chairperson, can accommodate up to eight members, comprising four judicial and an equal number of non-judicial members.

Who is Justice AM Khanwilkar?

Justice Ajay Manikrao Khanwilkar served as a Supreme Court judge from May 13, 2016, until July 29, 2022. His tenure on the bench witnessed several landmark judgments, including those on the Sabarimala women entry, decriminalization of homosexuality, and the validity of Aadhaar.

Notably, he presided over the bench that upheld the exoneration of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the 2002 Gujarat riots case. Before his appointment to the Supreme Court, Justice Khanwilkar held positions as the Chief Justice of Madhya Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh High Courts, as well as a judge at the Bombay High Court.

With inputs from Agencies