Lokeshwar Singh Panta

Panta was born on 23 April 1944 in Tehsil Jubbal, District Shimla. After his primary education and graduation he obtained degree in Law from Faculty of Law, University of Delhi in the year 1970.[4][5]

On 22 July 1970 he enrolled as an Advocate and started practicing in service matters, constitutional, administrative law, civil and labour law, criminal law and taxation in the High Court of Himachal Pradesh. During his advocacy career he served as the secretary of the High Court Bar Association from 1976 to 1977, vice-president of the High Court Bar Association from 1986 to 1987 and 15 May 1988 to 16 December 1988 and president of the High Court Bar Association from 17 December 1988 to 21 July 1989.[6][7]

He was appointed as deputy advocate general of Himachal Pradesh on 28 February 1980. He represented the State of Himachal Pradesh before the Central Administrative Tribunal and Himachal Pradesh State Administrative Tribunal. During this period, he was also assigned duties and functions of the advocate general from December 1988 to March 1989. Also represented Himachal Pradesh Vidhan Sabha before Lokayukta. Later on served as vigilance officer in the Department of Advocate General of Himachal Pradesh. He is a life member of the Executive Committee of the Indian Law Institute; member of the Executive Council for the All India Law Institute (State Unit).[8][9]

He was appointed additional judge of the High Court of Himachal Pradesh on 20 August 1991 and became permanent judge from 28 July 1995. As a judge he headed the Himachal Pradesh State Legal Services Authority since 26 December 1995 as its executive chairman and in February 2006, he was elevated to the Supreme Court of India. He served as a judge of Supreme Court of India until 23 April 2009. After retirement the Central Government on the recommendation of the Chief Justice, he was appointed as the first Chairperson of the newly founded National Green Tribunal, on 18 October 2010 for a term of five years, he served the Tribunal till 31 December 2011 and serving as Lokayukta, Himachal Pradesh from 3 February 2012.[10][11]