Cabinet recommends Rohit Deo’s name for advocate general

Mumbai: The state Cabinet on Tuesday has recommended acting advocate general Rohit Deo’s name as the state’s new advocate general (AG). His name has been recommended to the governor. After formal approval from the governor, Mr Deo will start working as the next AG of Maharashtra and will represent the state in the important matters in the Bombay high court.  

Recently, the state government had assured the HC that it would decide the name of AG by December 30th. Congress MLC Sanjay Dutt had filed writ petition in the HC stating that, as per Article 165 of the constitution of India, state government must appoint an AG. In the petition, Mr Dutt had alleged that since March 2016, when advocate general Shreehari Aney had offered his resignation, the state government did not file the post.

During the hearing, Mr Dutt’s lawyer had brought to the court’s notice that many cases are being affected due to non-appointment of AG and sought direction from the court to appoint a full time AG as soon as possible. After the cabinet’s decision on Tuesday, petitioner, Mr Dutt, raised the question asking why the cm took nine months to appoint acting AG as AG. He further said that, “Mr Fadnavis always speaks of good governance but his indecisiveness reflects lack of governance.”

Shreehari Aney

In March 2016 former AG Shreehari Aney resigned after his arguments in matters concerning lack of development of Vidarbha and statehood for Marathwada. The BJP and Shiv Sena demanded his ouster and raised an outcry in the assembly. Later, Mr Aney, on Facebook, said, as an AG he considered it his constitutional duty to place the interest of the people above the interest of the government machinery.