Born on December 31, 1953, Justice Lokur studied at Modern School, New Delhi, until 1968 and completed his ISCE examination in 1970-71 from St. Joseph's Collegiate, Allahabad. He graduated with Honors in History from St. Stephen’s College, Delhi University in 1974 and obtained his LL.B. degree from the Faculty of Law, Delhi University in 1977.
Justice Lokur enrolled as an Advocate on July 28, 1977, and practiced in the Supreme Court of India and the Delhi High Court. He qualified as an Advocate-on-Record in the Supreme Court in 1981. He gained extensive experience in Civil, Criminal, Constitutional, Revenue, and Service laws. From February 1983, he served as the Editor of ILR (Delhi Series) until his elevation to the Delhi High Court. He was the Central Government Standing Counsel from December 1990 to December 1996, handling various cases, including criminal trials related to economic offenses. In February 1997, he was designated as a Senior Advocate.
Justice Lokur was appointed as an Additional Solicitor General of India on July 14, 1998, and served until his appointment as an Additional Judge of the Delhi High Court on February 19, 1999. He became a Permanent Judge of that High Court on July 5, 1999. He served as the Acting Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court from February 13, 2010, to May 21, 2010. He then served as Chief Justice of the Gauhati High Court from June 24, 2010, to November 14, 2011, and as Chief Justice of the High Court of Andhra Pradesh from November 15, 2011, to June 3, 2012. He was appointed as a Judge of the Supreme Court on June 4, 2012.
Justice Lokur had a keen interest in judicial reforms, computerization of courts, judicial education, legal aid and services, juvenile justice, and Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR). He was a member of the Mediation & Conciliation Project Committee of the Supreme Court of India since its inception in 2005 and served as the Judge in charge of the E-Committee of the Supreme Court of India. He was appointed as a one-man committee to suggest improvements in the working of the Homes and organizations under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2000, and the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Rules, 2007. He retired on December 30, 2018.
