Senior Advocate R Venkataramani appointed as 14th Attorney General

The Central government on Wednesday appointed Senior Advocate R. Venkataramani as the 14th Attorney General for India (AG).

The Senior Advocate will take over from incumbent AG K.K. Venugopal, whose tenure will expire on September 30.

Law Minister Kiren Rijiju on Thursday posted a video of Venkataramani on the social media, in which the newly-appointed AG expressed gratitude to the Prime Minister, the Home Minister and the Law Minister, for ‘placing confidence in me to take up this sensitive assignment’.

As per a notification issued by the Ministry of Law and Justice, ‘The President is pleased to appoint Shri R. Venkataramani, Senior Advocate as Attorney General for India for a period of three years from the date he enters upon his office.’

Born on April 13, 1950 in Puducherry, Venkataramani enrolled as a lawyer in July, 1977 with the Bar Council of Tamil Nadu. He started practicing in the Supreme Court in 1979. He was designated as Senior Advocate of the Apex Court in 1997.

Venkataramani has served as a member of the Law Commission of India in 2010 and 2013. He has been appearing for the State of Tamil Nadu as a Special Senior Counsel for the past 12 years and has been a Special Senior Counsel for the State of Andhra Pradesh.

He has represented the Central government, several state governments, universities and public sector undertakings before the Supreme Court and High Courts.

Earlier, it was speculated that Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi would take over as the AG.

However, Rohatgi later withdrew his consent for appointment.