Mukul Rohatgi, Harish Salve main choices for Attorney General's post

NEW DELHI: The top law officer of the incoming Modi government has come down to a choice between two star Supreme Court lawyers, Mukul Rohatgi and Harish Salve.

People familiar with discussions about picking the Attorney General told ET that while both Salve and Rohatgi bring plenty of legal acumen to the table, Salve’s heavy international arbitration commitments will be taken into consideration before a final decision is taken.

“But it still could be either,” said a person involved in these talks. Salve when contacted over email by ET said, “You are right… I have a host of commitments including some on the personal front… I have also read news stories that suggest that I am a frontrunner (for A-G’s post). I am sure it has some basis.”

Salve also said due process demands that there should first be a law minister who can make the offer. “The stage has not arrived. It is possible that discussions are on between the powers that be,” he said.

The other choice for the A-G’s post, Rohatgi, said no one has approached him. “As you know I am one of the busiest lawyers in the Supreme Court, I am happy where I am and I need not chase anything. I will take a call as and when I am approached,” he told ET.

ET has learnt Narendra Modi’s final call on his A-G will depend partly on inputs from Arun Jaitley and Amit Shah.

“Salve will not earn even onetenth as an Attorney General of what he is earning as of now. Plus, the variety and nature of international litigation he is tackling holds him in a different league altogether,” said a senior Supreme Court lawyer who is a close friend of Salve.

He didn’t wish to be identified. Salve had served as the Solicitor General of India from November 1, 1999, to November 3, 2002. He succeeded Santosh Hegde, after the latter was appointed as a judge to the Supreme Court.

For a brief period he also served as amicus curiae in Gujarat riots cases. Rohatgi, considered to be close to Jaitley, has been counsel in many significant cases that involved BJP interests.

ET has also learnt that for the post of Solicitor General, Advocate General of Gujarat, Kamal Trivedi, and Supreme Court lawyer Ranjit Kumar are the two names under active consideration. Known as Modi’s most trusted legal soldier, Trivedi, people familiar with these discussions said, is the likelier candidate.