Justice Pinaki Ghose, former SC judge, is India's first Lokpal

Justice Pinaki Ghose on Saturday took oath as the first Lokpal of India. He was sworn-in in the presence of President Ram Nath Kovind, Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi.

He was administered oath of office by President Kovind. "The oath was administered at a ceremony held at Rashtrapati Bhavan," according to an official statement.

Justice Ghose, the former Supreme Court judge, was appointed as the country's first Lokpal on March 19.

66-year-old Justice Ghose retired as a Supreme Court judge in May 2017. He is currently a member of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC). 

He was appointed as the judge of the Calcutta High Court in 1997 and was elevated to the apex court in 2013. He also served as the Chief Justice of Andhra Pradesh High Court during which he convicted Sasikala, the close aide of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, in a corruption case.

The Lokpal Act, which envisages the establishment of anti-graft body Lokpal at the Centre and Lokayuktas in states to look into cases of corruption against certain categories of public servants, was passed in 2013.

His name was finalised and recommended by the Selection Committee comprising of PM Narendra Modi, Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi, Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan, eminent jurist Mukul Rohatgi. Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha and Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge, who is also a member of the high-power committee, skipped the meeting.