Swearing-in ceremony of Judicial Member of Lokpal of India
Recently, Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi took oath as judicial member of Lokpal. Pankaj Kumar and Ajay Tirkey also took oath as Lokpal members.
Key Points
- The Lokpal of India is headed by Justice A.M. Khanvilkar administered the oath.
- The oath ceremony was organized today at the Indian Lokpal Office in New Delhi.
- Central Vigilance Commissioner Praveen Kumar Vastav and other senior officers of CBI and Enforcement Directorate were also present at the swearing-in ceremony.
Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi
- He served as the Chairman of the 22nd Law Commission of India before joining the Lokpal of India as Judicial Member.
- Earlier, he was the Chief Justice of Karnataka High Court.
Pankaj Kumar
- He is a 1986 batch IAS officer of Gujarat cadre.
- Before joining as a member of the Lokpal of India, he was the Chief Secretary of Gujarat.
Ajay Tirkey
- He is a 1987 batch IAS officer of Madhya Pradesh cadre.
- Before joining as a member of the Lokpal of India, he was the Secretary, Department of Land Resources, Government of India.
About Lokpal
- Lokpal is an institution that hears complaints against public officials.
- This type of institution was first started in Sweden under the name ‘Ombudsman’ (in 1809 AD).
- Lokpal in India is an institution inspired by Sweden’s ‘Ombudsman’.
- Rajasthan Administrative Reforms Committee (Chairman – Harishchandra Mathur) talked about the establishment of an institution like Lokpal for the first time in India in the year 1963.
- LM Singhvi first demanded Lokpal in the Parliament.
- India’s first Administrative Reforms Commission (1966 – 70) recommended the establishment of Lokpal at the Center and Lokayukta in the states to redress the complaints of citizens.
- The state of Orissa first passed the Lokayukta Act (in 1970) (enforced in 1983).
- Maharashtra first established the institution of Lokayukta (in 1971).
- The Lokayukta and Lokpal Bill was first introduced in the Parliament in 1968 but was passed for the 10th time on December 31, 2013 and came into effect on January 16, 2014.
Structure
- 1 Chairman + Maximum 8 Members
- 50% members of judicial service
- 50% members from SC, ST, OBC and women.
Ability
- Has been the Chief Justice or other judge of the Supreme Court.
- Be a reputed person.
Appointment – by the President
Tenure
- 5 years or 70 years of age
- Not reappointed.
Discharge from office
- by resigning from the President
- Upon removal by the President
The President can remove from office in the following situations –
- On being declared bankrupt.
- On being found guilty of a crime in a court of law
- being mentally or physically disabled
- being of unsound mind
Rights and powers
- Received powers of civil court.
- Power of superintendence, supervision and control over the matters assigned to CBI by Lokpal and transfer of CBI officers related to it.
- Right to confiscate and confiscate movable and immovable property acquired through corruption.
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