Reva Khetrapal takes oath as Delhi Lokayukta

Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung on Thursday administered the oath of office to former Delhi high court judge Reva Khetrapal as the fourth Lokayukta of Delhi. The post of the Lokayukta was lying vacant after superannuation of Manmohan Sarin in November 2013.

Khetrapal who had awarded death sentences to Nirbhaya rapists, was chosen unanimously for the post in October by a four-member selection panel comprising LG Najeeb Jung, Chief Justice of Delhi high court G Rohini, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Leader of Opposition in Delhi Assembly Vijender Gupta. 

The process of selection for the post was started after Delhi high Court ordered the government to fill the vacant post within a time frame. The tenure of the Delhi Lokayukta is for a period of five years. LG Jung wished Khetrapal a successful tenure as the Lokayukta of Delhi.

Khetrapal was enrolled as an advocate with the Bar Council of Delhi in the year 1975. She practised in the Delhi high court and Supreme Court from 1975-91 and was appointed Additional District and Sessions Judge in 1991. 

She was elevated to the Bench of Delhi high court as an Additional Judge in 2006 and became a permanent Judge in 2007. On the occasion of her swearing-in-ceremony at the Raj Niwas, judges of Delhi high court, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his deputy Manish Sisodia, Leader of Opposition Vijender Gupta were also present along with senior officers.

Delhi Lokayukta and Uplokayukta Act 1995 came into force on September 22, 1997 and R N Aggarwal was appointed as first Lokayukta on November 1, 1997 for a period of five years. The second Lokayukta was former Justice Mohd Shamim who was succeeded by former Justice Manmohan Sarin on November 6, 2008. As Lokayukta, justice Sarin passed several orders which went against then Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit.