New Delhi: In a first, a serving district and sessions judge was on Monday appointed as the Union law secretary. An order by the personnel ministry said that Anoop Kumar Mendiratta has been appointed as the new law secretary (secretary, legal affairs) in the Union law ministry.
Mendiratta is currently the district and sessions judge, North-East District, Karkardooma Courts in Delhi. Previously, he was in the spotlight in January this year, when as the principal secretary (law) of the Delhi government, he cleared the sanction to prosecute JNU students in an alleged sedition case. Delhi law minister Kailash Gahlot issued a showcause notice to Mendiratta for clearing the sanction without his approval and also wrote to the Delhi high court chief justice on the matter.
Mendiratta was later appointed as the principal judge of the family courts of the Saket district court.
According to PTI, he has been appointed to the post on a contractual basis till March 30, 2023, when he will reach the age of retirement (60).
The post of law secretary has been without a full-time officer since December 2018, when Suresh Chandra resigned. According to LiveLaw, Mendiratta will replace Justice Alok Shrivastava, who was given additional charge of law secretary.
The Centre called for applications for the post in April, prescribing that sitting or retired district judges could apply for the post. At least 60 people, including government officers, district judges, advocates and legal experts had applied for the post, according to reports.
Usually, posts of secretary (legal affairs) also called the law secretary and secretary (legislative department) are held by Indian Legal Service officers. The Indian Legal Service has officers till the post of joint secretary, and additional secretaries and the secretary are “ex-cadre” officers.
The law secretary’s duties include giving advice to ministries on legal matters, and engagement of counsel to appear on behalf of the Union of India in the high courts and subordinate courts. The secretary is also tasked with rendering advice to the attorney general, the solicitor general of India, and other law officers of the Centre. He is also responsible for the conduct of cases in the Supreme Court and the high courts on behalf of the Centre, according to reports.
(With PTI inputs)