Hazare hails news of former SC judge Ghose being tipped for Lokpal

Mumbai: Social activist Anna Hazare Sunday welcomed the news that former Supreme Court judge Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghose was being considered for appointment as the chief of country's first Lokpal, the anti-corruption ombudsman.

Justice Ghose, who retired from the Supreme Court in May 2017, is a member of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).

Speaking to reporters, Hazare said, "I welcome the decision of appointing the country's first Lokpal. The people's movement for it, going on for 48 years now, has finally won."

Hazare has led several agitations and hunger protests demanding the appointment of Lokpal at the national level and Lokayukta in states.

He had sat on a hunger strike in February-March in his native Ralegansidhi in Ahmednagar district over the non-appointment of Lokpal.

The Lokpal Act, which envisages 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.