Question

Who among the following was appointed as the first Lokpal of India?
A) Ranjan Gogoi
B) AK Sikri
C) Dipak Misra
D) Pinaki Chandra Ghose

Answer 1

Hint: A Lokpal is an anti-corruption authority or body of ombudsman who represents the public interest in the Republic of India. The Lokpal of India comprises a Chairperson and eight members. The First Lokpal of India was appointed on March 23, 2019. He had served as Chief Justice of the Andhra Pradesh High Court, and before that, as a Judge of the Calcutta High Court.

Complete answer:L.G Havanur commission -
The Lokpal of India comprises a Chairperson and eight members. Four of the judicial members have been former Chief Justices who belong to different High Courts whereas the four non-judicial members have been from All India Services/Central Services. Section 6 of the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013 states that the Chairperson and the Lokpal members shall be appointed by the President of India by warrant under his hand and seal.

Let us analyze the given options:
Option A) Ranjan Gogoi: Justice Ranjan Gogoi is the former Judge of India’s Supreme Court. He served as the 46th Chief Justice of India for a period of 13 months between 2018 and 2019. On March 16, 2020, he was nominated to Rajya Sabha by President Ram Nath Kovind.
Option B) AK Sikri: Justice Arjan Kumar Sikri is an eminent jurist and a former judge of India’s Supreme Court. On April 12, 2013, he took the pledge as a Supreme Court judge. Earlier, he had also served as the Chief Justice of the High Court of the states of Punjab and Haryana. This option is incorrect as he was never a part of Lokpal of India.
Option C) Dipak Misra: Justice Dipak Misra became the Chief Justice of Delhi High Court on May 24, 2010, and was later elevated as a Judge of the Supreme Court of India on Oct 10, 2011. He was appointed as The Chief Justice of India on August 28, 2017. This option is incorrect as he was never a part of Lokpal of India.
Option D) Pinaki Chandra Ghose: Shri Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghose was appointed as the ‘First Chairperson of the Lokpal’ on March 23, 2019, and is currently serving. He had served as a former Judge of India’s Supreme Court and also as a sitting member of the National Human Rights Commission. Thus, it is the correct option.

Thus, the correct answer is Option ‘D’ i.e, Pinki Chandra Ghose.

Note: The ‘Lokpal’ is the first institution of its kind that was instituted in independent India under the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act 2013, which is an anti-corruption Act of the Parliament. The main function of the Lokpal is to inquire and investigate matters related to or connected with any allegations of corruption against public functionaries who fall within the scope and limits of the above Act.