K K Venugopal to be new Attorney General

Noted constitutional expert and senior advocate K K Venugopal will be the new Attorney General for India. He is to replace senior advocate Mukul Rohatg who stepped down on completion of his three-year term on June 11.

The President has approved the name of Venugopal, 86, as the top law officer of the country. The notification on his appointment could be issued anytime now, sources said.

The Prime Minister has favoured Venugopal in view of his vast experience including more than 50 years of practice in the Supreme Court.

Venugopal, who assisted the apex court in the 2G scam as amicus curiae, has also appeared for senior BJP leader L K Advani in the Babri demolition case.

He was born in 1931. His father M K Nambiar was also a renowned lawyer. Venugopal completed his LL B from Raja Lakhamgouda Law College, Belagavi. He got enrolled as an advocate in 1954, and was designated as a senior advocate by the Supreme Court of India in 1972.

He was appointed the Additional Solicitor General by the then Janata Party government of Morarji Desai in 1979. He was conferred the Padma Vibhushan in 2015.