Attorney General of India KK Venugopal is likely to continue in his post for another year. As per the latest information from reliable sources, Venugopal, whose tenure is coming to an end on June 30, is set to receive another extension from the Union government.
This is the third one-year term extension which will be extended to Venugopal, 91, who was appointed Attorney General on July 1, 2017.
Venugopal is the 15th Attorney General for India. He succeeded Mukul Rohatgi, who was the Attorney General from June 2014 to June 2017. The notification for reappointment of Venugopal for one year from July 1 is expected to be issued on Tuesday or Wednesday, the sources said.
When asked, Venugopal said he has nothing to say as of now, for the reappointment is still at the nascent level, and people may have to wait for the notification. The Attorney General is the top law officer and chief legal advisor of the Central Government and represents the Government of India in crucial cases before the Supreme Court.
Venugopal is an internationally known jurist and a constitutional law expert who has appeared in many landmark cases in the Supreme Court and different high courts. He is also a doyen of the Bar.
Venugopal has been in the post after the Narendra Modi government won a second term in 2019.
He was considered for the post of Attorney General even under the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Government. Back then the senior advocates who were being considered for the post were Soli Sorabjee and KK Venugopal (in that order), but Soli Sorabjee accepted it.
For almost 60 years, Venugopal was a practicing lawyer. He has also held the position of Additional Solicitor General in the Morarji Desai government.
Venugopal started to appear in the Supreme Court from 1960 when the Advocates Act was enacted. The Advocate Act said that it would provide for a unified bar throughout the country meaning that by enrolling in one High Court, a lawyer would be entitled to practice in all High Courts in India as well as in the Supreme Court of India.