Law officers'appt: TN getting info from other states, says AG

Tamil Nadu government today informed the Madras High Court that it was in the process of obtaining information from neighbouring states on the procedure followed by them for appointment of law Officers in various courts.
Hearing a batch of PILs seeking a direction to the authorities to frame guidelines and rules for appointment of Law Officers (LO) for representing Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, the high court had on September 15 directed the government to place before it a draft of norms as per the observations made by the Supreme Court with regard to the appointments of LOs.
It had also granted three weeks time to the state's Advocate General to furnish information regarding appointment of law officers already made in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry and eight weeks for furnishing details about the norms for future appointments.

When the matter came up today, the AG submitted that the government was obtaining information from neighbouring states in this regard and a final view will be presented before the court.
The Tamil Nadu and Puducherry governments also filed their counter affidavits.
On the appointments already made, the Tamil Nadu government said in a counter affidavit that applications for the post of Law Officers were received from different advocates from time to time and also from counsel who were already appointed and the then Advocate General had approved the same.

The court then said information about how the applications were scrutinised and notings made should be produced before it.

The counter affidavit by Puducherry's Law Department said the government had proposed draff rules for appointment of Law Officers.
The bench then directed the counsel for the petitioners to examine the counter affidavits and file their submissions, if any, and posted the matter to November 29 for further hearing.