TN Govt formulates SOP for engaging senior counsels to represent it in SC

Tamil Nadu government establishes SOP for engaging Senior Advocates in Supreme Court cases to ensure effective legal representation.

The Tamil Nadu government has formulated a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for engaging Senior Advocates to conduct cases in the Supreme Court of India, on its behalf.

The SOP has been formulated in view of the increasing instances of engaging Senior Counsels in many cases before the Supreme Court and in consultation with the Advocate-General and the Madras High Court. Though there have been certain conditions imposed earlier for engaging Senior Counsels, this is the first time a SOP has been formulated.

As per the SOP, engaging Senior Counsels from the approved panel “should not be resorted to by the Tamil Nadu Government Advocates on Record concerned in a routine manner or by default without following the procedures prescribed.”

With a view to smooth conduct of litigation before the Supreme Court on behalf of this State, “all possibilities to conduct the case by engaging the Additional Advocates General has to be explored by the Tamil Nadu Government Advocates on Record concerned in the first Instance,” it said.

A G.O. with the SOP was issued by the Home Department earlier this week.

When the Constitutional validity of Acts or Rules enacted by the State has been challenged or in matters In which the Governor, Chief Minister, Ministers, Chief Justice, Judges, Chief Secretary and Secretaries are made parties by name or matters which, if decided against the Government, would have a far-reaching effect on the State’s economy, the service of the State; revenue/tax matters involving more than ₹5 crore or the State government’s policy on a particular matter are among the the circumstances when a Senior Counsel was to be engaged.