In a significant development, Jharkhand has appointed a new Lokayukta after a long vacancy, raising fresh hopes for transparency and accountability in governance.
Governor Santosh Kumar Gangwar on Tuesday administered the oath of office to retired Jharkhand High Court judge Amitabh Kumar Gupta as the State’s Lokayukta. The swearing-in ceremony was held at Darbar Hall of Lok Bhavan in Ranchi.
After administering the oath, the Governor extended his greetings and wished Gupta a successful tenure. The ceremony began with Chief Secretary Avinash Kumar reading out the official warrant of appointment.
Subsequently, Additional Chief Secretary to the Governor, Nitin Madan Kulkarni, invited the newly appointed Lokayukta to take the oath.
The Lokayukta post in Jharkhand had remained vacant since June 2021, and the appointment comes after nearly five years, marking a crucial step in strengthening institutional oversight.
Earlier this month, the Jharkhand High Court had directed the state government to expedite appointments to key constitutional posts, including that of the Lokayukta. Following this directive, the Governor approved Gupta’s appointment on April 16.
Born on May 31, 1959, Amitabh Kumar Gupta completed his law degree from the Faculty of Law at the University of Delhi. He began his judicial career as an Additional District Judge in the Bihar Higher Judicial Service on June 11, 1997.
In 2013, he was elevated as an Additional Judge of the Jharkhand High Court and served until his retirement on May 30, 2021.
Several prominent dignitaries attended the ceremony, including Chief Minister Hemant Soren, ministers Radhakrishna Kishore and Deepika Pandey Singh, Rajya Sabha MP Geeta Majhi, Ranchi Mayor Roshni Khalkho, Director General of Police Tadasha Mishra, and Additional Chief Secretary Vandana Dadel, along with other senior administrative and police officials.
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