NEW DELHI: Decks have been cleared by the Union Ministry of Law and Justice to extend the term of Attorney General Mukul Rohtagi, India's top law official, for another term.
The terms of Additional Solicitor General’s (ASG) and Solicitor General’s have also been extended.
The Attorney General, along with the Solicitor General and Additional Solicitor General, represents the government in various courts and tender legal advice on complex issues.
AG Rohtagi's three year term was expiring on June 11 but has now been extended for another term.
As per the notification issued on Saturday, the tenure of all legal officers have been extended after taking their consent.
Rohtagi played a crucial role in defending government’s most pitched policy of aadhaar’s linkage with income tax returns and other related schemes and made his best efforts not to get a stay on the entire process.
This case also weighed strongly for his continuance at the top court.
“Apart from the jolt government has got from the top court during AG’s tenure is the one on the National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC), things worked well in the supreme court for us (government),” said a law ministry official on condition of anonymity.
During all vacation bench hearings, Rohtagi has willingly accepted briefs of all the cases which are falling much after expiry of his term.
However, notification remained silent on whether the tenure of Additional Solicitor General Neeraj Kishan Kaul has been extended or not.
According to sources, he had already informed the Law Ministry that he won’t be able to continue with his present role.
Terms of five other ASGs, Maninder Singh, Tushar Mehta, P S Narasimha, ASG P S Patwalia and Pinky Anand, have been extended too.
Ministry is also considering names of other senior advocates as two posts of ASGs are lying vacant following the elevation of one ASG as Justice L Nageswara Rao at the top court.
Name Designation
Mukul Rohatgi Attorney General
Ranjit Kumar Additional Solicitor General
Maninder Singh Additional Solicitor General
P S Patwalia Additional Solicitor General
Tushar Mehta Additional Solicitor General
P S Narsimha Additional Solicitor General
Pinky Anand Additional Solicitor General