Solicitor General of India

Solicitor General of India
Incumbent Tushar Mehta since 11 October 2018
Abbreviation	SGI
Reports to	Attorney General for India
Appointer	ACC
Term length	3 years (per discretion of ACC)
Formation	28 January 1950
First holder	C. K. Daphtary
Deputy	Addl. Solicitor Generals

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The Solicitor General of India (SGI) is subordinate to the Attorney General for India. The SGI is the second-highest law officer of the country, assists the Attorney General, and is assisted by Additional Solicitors General of India (Addl. SGIs). The SGI and the Addl. SGIs advise the Union of India and appear on its behalf in terms of the Law Officers (Conditions of Service) Rules, 1987.^[1]

Unlike the post of Attorney General for India, which is a Constitutional post under Article 76 of the Indian Constitution, the posts of the Solicitor General and the Additional Solicitor General are neither Constitutional nor statutory.^[2][3] The conditions of service of Law Officers are defined by The Law Officers (Conditions of Service) Rules, 1987,^[4] made under the powers conferred by the proviso to Article 309^[5] of the Indian Constitution.

The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) recommends the appointment and officially appoints the Solicitor General.^[6] The proposal for appointment of Solicitor General, Additional Solicitor General is generally moved at the level of Joint secretary (or Law Secretary) in the Department of Legal Affairs and after obtaining the approval of the Minister of Law & Justice, the proposal goes to the ACC and then to the president.

Currently, the Solicitor General of India is Tushar Mehta.^[7]