By Rons Bantwal
Daijiworld Media Network—Mumbai (RD/CN)
 
Mumbai, Jul 4: Retired High Court (HC) judge Justice Purushottam Bapurao Gaikwad was sworn in as the new ‘Lokayukta’ in a simple ceremony held at Raj Bhavan on Thursday July 2.  Governor S C Jamir administered the oath of office to Justice Gaikwad. 
 
Justice Gaikwad was born on July 8 1944, and obtained his LLB from Pune University in 1966. He practiced as a lawyer from 1970 to 1989 and served as additional government pleader at Osmanabad from 1983 to 1989.
 

Justice Gaikwad was posted as district judge at Wardha in June 1992 and thereafter served as district judge at Amravati, Beed, Solapur, and Thane. He became a HC judge in December 2002 and retired in July 2006.

Thereafter, Justice Gaikwad was posted as presiding officer, University and College Tribunal, Aurangabad, from March 2006 for a period of three years.
 
Justice Gaikwad succeeds Justice G D Patil who ended his term on 26 January 2009. Deputy Lokayukta Suresh Kumar was holding the charge of the Lokayukta until his own retirement.
 
Chief minister Ashok Chavan, deputy chief minister Chhagan Bhujbal, metro’s guardian minister Nawab Malik, minister of agriculture Balasaheb Thorat, former minister Surupsinh Naik, metro Sheriff Dr Indu Shahani, chief secretary Johny Joseph, commissioner of police D Shivanandan and other eminent citizens were present on the occasion.