Jharkhand Appoints New Lokayukta After Long Gap, Justice A.K. Gupta Takes Oath

Ranchi — Jharkhand has finally filled the long-vacant post of Lokayukta, with former High Court judge Justice Amitabh Kumar Gupta taking the oath of office on Tuesday, nearly five years after the position fell vacant.

The oath was administered by Governor Santosh Kumar Gangwar at a ceremony held in the Durbar Hall of Lok Bhavan in Ranchi. The Governor extended his congratulations and expressed hope for a tenure marked by integrity and impact.

The proceedings began with Chief Secretary Avinash Kumar reading out the official warrant of appointment. This was followed by an invitation from Additional Chief Secretary Nitin Kulkarni for Justice Gupta to take the oath.

The Lokayukta post had remained unoccupied since June 2021, and the delayed appointment had drawn attention over concerns about administrative accountability. The development is now being seen as a step toward strengthening transparency in governance.

Earlier in April, the Jharkhand High Court had directed the state government to expedite appointments to key constitutional positions, including the Lokayukta, State Human Rights Commission, and State Information Commission, within 10 days, warning of consequences for non-compliance. The Governor approved Justice Gupta’s appointment on April 16.

Born on May 31, 1959, Justice Gupta studied law at the Faculty of Law, University of Delhi. He began his judicial career as an Additional District Judge in the Bihar Superior Judicial Service in 1997. In 2013, he was elevated as an Additional Judge of the Jharkhand High Court and served until his retirement in May 2021.

The ceremony was attended by several prominent figures, including Chief Minister Hemant Soren, Ministers Radha Krishna Kishore and Dipika Pandey Singh, Rajya Sabha MP Mahua Maji, Ranchi Mayor Roshni Khalkho, Director General of Police Tadasha Mishra, along with senior administrative and police officials.

With inputs from IANS