Panel zeroes in on Justice Sandeep Shinde, announcement today; vacancy stalled hearings in over 20 cases
PANAJI
Retired Bombay High Court judge Justice Sandeep Shinde is set to take over as the next Lokayukta of Goa, ending a prolonged vacancy in the ombudsman’s office that has rendered the institution non-functional for over a year.
Justice Shinde, who served at the Goa Bench of the Bombay High Court, is widely known for his landmark October 2022 order directing erstwhile Goa mining leaseholders to vacate their leases within a month. The ruling, later upheld by the Supreme Court, paved the way for e-auctioning of mineral blocks in the State. He has also played a key role in matters related to the Maratha reservation issue.
Government sources confirmed that the selection committee headed by Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has shortlisted Justice Shinde’s name for the post, which has remained vacant since December 2024 following the completion of Justice (retd) Ambadas Joshi’s tenure. The absence of a Lokayukta has stalled hearings in over 20 pending corruption cases.
Born in Chiplun and hailing from Mumbai, Justice Shinde retired on January 16, 2023, after six years as a High Court judge. Prior to his elevation to the bench in 2017, he served as Chief Public Prosecutor representing Mumbai in 2015. In November 2023, the Maharashtra government constituted a committee under his chairmanship to oversee the issuance of Maratha-Kunbi and Kunbi-Maratha caste certificates, a mandate that has been extended till June this year.
The crucial meeting to shortlist the new Lokayukta was held on Wednesday and was attended by Leader of Opposition Yuri Alemao and the Chief Secretary.
Speaking to media persons after the meeting, Sawant said the committee had finalised the name of the Lokayukta, which would be announced on Thursday after the minutes are signed. “There were two names discussed. One has been finalised. But I cannot disclose the name now,” he said.
Alemao criticised the delay in the appointment, calling it a “sorry state of affairs.” He alleged that the delay was intentional to avoid scrutiny of corruption cases and said the government was now compelled to act as the matter is being monitored by the High Court.
In October last year, the government had informed the High Court that the Lokayukta would be appointed within six months, during hearings of a petition filed by activist Trajano D’Mello.
Goa has witnessed repeated delays in appointing Lokayuktas in the past. Justice Joshi was appointed in April 2021 after Justice (retd) P K Misra’s term ended in September 2020, while the State’s first Lokayukta, Justice (retd) Sudershan Reddy, resigned within seven months of his appointment in 2013.
