Vidarbha lawyer Sunil Manohar to be new Maharashtra Advocate General

MUMBAI: Nagpur-based senior lawyer Sunil Manohar is set to be the new Advocate General of Maharashtra.

The BJP Government has recommended Manohar's name for appointment as Maharashtra's top law officer, who represents the state in various legal matters. He will succeed Darius Khambata, who served under the previous Congress-NCP government.

"We have recommended Manohar's name to Governor Vidyasagar Rao (for appointment as AG)," Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis told reporters at Mantralaya after a Cabinet meeting here this evening.

"The next process will happen after the Governor's approval," he said.

Three eminent lawyers from Vidarbha and one each from Mumbai and Aurangabad were said to be in the running for the job.

Manohar is a senior counsel practising at Nagpur Bench of the Bombay High Court.

It is after a long time that Maharashtra's top law officer will be from Vidarbha. Senior counsel late Arvind Bobde was first from the region to occupy the post followed by Vyankatesh Manohar. Bobde held the coveted post twice, in 1980 and 1985, while Manohar was named AG in 1992.

Khambata was appointed AG on March 27, 2012, replacing Ravi Kadam, who resigned after serving for over seven years.

Senior counsel late Goolam Vahanvati held the post from December 1999 to June 2004. He later went on to become Attorney General under the UPA 2.

A new Advocate General, a political appointee, is usually named with the change of the government in a state.