Panaji, May 7 (IANS): Retired Bombay High Court Judge Ambadas Joshi was on Friday sworn-in as the new Lokayukta of Goa.

Joshi was administered the oath of office by Governor of Goa Bhagat Singh Koshyari virtually.

Koshyari currently serves as the Governor of Maharashtra and also holds the charge of Goa.

Joshi was shortlisted after the tenure of the past Lokayukta P.K. Mishra, a retired Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court lapsed last year.

Two candidates who had been shortlisted by the Goa government for the post had previously declined to serve in the position since.

The Goa government has been under fire after it diluted several key provisions of the Goa Lokayukta Act, with the Opposition charging the government of making the anti-corruption body "toothless".

The previous Lokayukta, Mishra, had also accused the Goa government of trying to undermine the office of the Lokayukta, even as most of the orders passed by the anti-corruption ombudsman were not implemented by successive state governments led by the BJP-led coalition governments.