CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Advocate General R Shunmugasundaram has decided to resign from the position due to personal reasons. He made the announcement on Wednesday morning through a WhatsApp message to his friends in the legal fraternity. However, he would continue to have private practice in the courts. He will submit his resignation to the Chief Minister MK Stalin.
“Friends, Good morning; Thank you for your love, good wishes and co-operation. I have decided to resign and be back in private practice. I am happy to share this decision with you,” the message read.
“I will meet the Chief Minister today and personally submit my resignation papers,” the former Rajya Sabha Member said when contacted.
Appointed to the top post of the government’s law officers division in 2021 soon after DMK came back to power, he has been handling important cases, in which, the government had high stakes. The cases included the 10.5% internal reservation for the Vanniyar community within the MBC quota, the 7.5% reservation provided for government school students in NEET admission and the challenge to the Tamil Nadu government’s ambitious legislation prohibiting online gambling and regulating online games.
Shunmugasundaram offered to resign from the position in 2002 but he backed off after Chief Minister MK Stalin wanted him to continue. He was stated to be under pressure to perform better to get positive orders from the courts in high-profile cases.
Having remained an ardent, loyal party man, he was rewarded with several key positions during the previous DMK governments. He held the post of Additional Public Prosecutor from 1989-91 and became State Public Prosecutor during 1996-2001.
Shanmugasundaram was attacked by a gang to prevent him from appearing before the TANSI land case against late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa. He suffered grievous injuries and was hospitalised for several days.
DMK rewarded him with the post of Rajya Sabha Member and he held the position for six years from 2002 to 2008. He was designated as senior counsel in 2000.