Law Ministry: Opinion from Attorney General sans our notice invalid

The Law Ministry has warned other ministries not to directly approach the Attorney General for legal opinions, dubbing it as "impropriety."

Law Secretary Suresh Chandra has said in a letter to central ministries that they should follow procedures in seeking legal advice.

"All the ministries/departments are again requested that while seeking legal advice, they should follow procedure to as to avoid illegality/impropriety on account of jurisdictional error or procedural impropriety... The law officers are also requested that in cases other than sub-judice matters, opinion/advice to central government ministries/departments/PSUs may not be tendered without getting reference from the Law Ministry," the letter issued in March said.

The letter comes months after then AG Mukul Rohatgi had asked the Centre to do away with a rule barring him from giving legal advice to ministries without involving the Law Ministry, citing delays in decision-making.