solicitor general

The Solicitor General for India is subordinate to the Attorney General of India, who is the Indian government's chief legal advisor, and its primary lawyer in the Supreme Court of India. The Solicitor General for India is the second law officer of the country, assists the Attorney General, and is himself assisted by several Additional Solicitors General of India.[1] Like the Attorney General of India, the Solicitor General and the Additional Solicitors General advice the Government and appear on behalf of the Union of India in terms of the Law Officers (Terms and Conditions) Rules, 1972[2]. However, unlike the post of Attorney General of India, which is a Constitutional post under Article 76 of the Constitution of India, the posts of the Solicitor General and the Additional Solicitors General are merely statutory.

The Attorney General for India is appointed by the President of India under Article 76(1) of the Constitution of India and holds office during the pleasure of the President. He/she must be a person qualified to be appointed as a Judge of the Supreme Court.

Senior advocate Rohinton Nariman is all set to be appointed as the new Solicitor General of India, the second senior most law officer of the country, in place of Gopal Subramanium, who quit recently.

Sources said that the government has decided to appoint him as the next Solicitor General, a proposal to which he has given his consent.

"The formal notification on his appointment will be issued next week after the Appointments Committee of Cabinet gives its seal of approval," they said.