Who was the first Lokpal (Chairperson) of India?

Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghose, a retired judge of the Supreme Court, was appointed as the first Chairperson of the Lokpal of India in March 2019. He took the oath of office on 23 March 2019 and served until May 2022.

About the Lokpal:

The Lokpal is an anti-corruption ombudsman (an independent authority) at the central level. It inquires into and investigates complaints of corruption against public servants, including the Prime Minister (with some safeguards), ministers, Members of Parliament and officials of the central government.

It was set up under the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013, which received the President's assent on 1 January 2014 and came into force on 16 January 2014. The Act also requires each state to set up a Lokayukta.

The Lokpal is a statutory body (created by an Act of Parliament), not a constitutional body.

It has a Chairperson and up to eight members, of whom 50% must be judicial members, and at least 50% must be from among SCs, STs, OBCs, minorities and women.

The members are appointed by the President on the recommendation of a selection committee made up of the Prime Minister, the Speaker of the Lok Sabha, the Leader of the Opposition, the Chief Justice of India (or a judge nominated by them) and an eminent jurist.

Background:

The idea of an ombudsman was first proposed by the First Administrative Reforms Commission (1966-70), chaired by Morarji Desai, which recommended the institutions of Lokpal and Lokayukta.

The term "Lokpal" was coined by L. M. Singhvi in 1963.

Lokpal bills were introduced in Parliament many times from 1968, but none was passed until 2013, after the anti-corruption movement led by Anna Hazare (2011).

Maharashtra was the first state to set up a Lokayukta, in 1971.

Justice A. M. Khanwilkar became the Lokpal Chairperson in 2024.

Why not the other options?

• ✗M. Khanwilkar became Lokpal Chairperson in 2024.
• ✗Ranjan Gogoi was a Chief Justice of India.
• ✗Santosh Hegde was a famous Lokayukta of Karnataka.