President approves PC Ghosh as India's first Lokpal

New Delhi : Retired Supreme Court judge Pinaki Chandra Ghose has been officially appointed as the first Lokpal of India. His appointment has been cleared by President Ram Nath Kovind.

Former Chief Justices - Dilip B Bhosale, Pradip Kumar Mohanty, Abhilasha Kumari - besides sitting Chief Justice of Chhattisgarh High Court Ajay Kumar Tripathi have been appointed as judicial members in the anti-corruption ombudsman, the communique issued by Rashtrapati Bhavan said.

Former first woman chief of Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) Archana Ramasundaram, ex-Maharashtra chief secretary Dinesh Kumar Jain, former IRS officer Mahender Singh and Gujarat cadre ex-IAS officer Indrajeet Prasad Gautam have been appointed as non-judicial members of the body, it said.

"The above appointments will take effect from the dates they assume charge of their respective offices," the communique said.

The names of first Lokpal and the members were announced weeks after the Supreme Court February deadline ended.

Justice Ghose's name was finalised and recommended by the Selection Committee led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi last week.