4 min readMumbaiJul 22, 2023 10:02 AM IST
First published on: Jul 21, 2023 at 10:54 PM IST
The nine-year-long tenure of Senior Advocate Anil Singh, who held the post of Additional Solicitor General (ASG) of India, the topmost lawyer representing the Union government in the Bombay High Court and courts in Maharashtra and Goa, has come to a close.
The Appointments Committee of Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday approved “assignment” of charge of ASG representing Central government at Bombay High Court to Devang Girish Vyas, who is presently ASG at the Gujarat High Court.
As per the July 20 notification, Vyas has been appointed for a period of six months with effect from the date of assumption of charge of the post, or till the appointment of a regular ASG, whichever is earlier.
The extended tenure of ASG Anil Singh, who had held the post for Bombay High Court since 2014, recently expired on June 30. As per sources, Singh, who held the post of ASG at Bombay High Court three times, did not seek an extension and is likely to resume private practice.
Singh was appointed as ASG in July 2014 for three years, after the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government led by PM Narendra Modi came to power and was re-appointed two times in a row in 2017 and 2020. He held additional charge of Advocate General for Maharashtra for four months between June and October, 2015 during CM Devendra Fadnavis-led government in the state.
Singh’s legal career spans over three decades as he continued his practice as a lawyer in 1984 after he completed his LLB from Government Law College, Mumbai in the same year.
In 2003, he was appointed as senior counsel by the Central Government to conduct cases in the Bombay High Court for Union of India and also was appointed as special counsel to conduct cases for Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation.
Later, he was also elected as a member of the Bar Council of Maharashtra and Goa (BCMG) in 2010 and became its chairman in 2011. The next year, he was designated as senior advocate by the Bombay High Court in September, 2012.
He represented Centre in several high profile cases before the Bombay High Court including pleas against Sushant Singh Rajput death case ‘media trial,’ drugs case against actor Rhea Chakraborty, pleas by Elgaar Parishad accused , Cruise ship drug bust case involving actor Shah Rukh Khan’s son Aryan Khan, Antilia bomb scare case, Malegaon bomb blast, Sohrabuddin ‘fake’ encounter, Judge Loya death, Dr. Narendra Dabholkar and Govind Pansare murders, pleas related to beef ban and Sheena Bora murder case. Singh also represented central agencies before courts in Mumbai in Yes Bank and PMC Bank fraud cases.
He also represented central agencies in cases against political leaders including money laundering case against Shiv Sena leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut, corruption case against former state Home Minister Anil Deshmukh on allegations made by former Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh, money laundering case against NCP leader Nawab Malik, Adarsh society case against former CM Ashok Chavan, corruption case against NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal among others.
Singh also appeared for central authorities in matters pertaining to dispute over infrastructure projects including pleas Mumbai coastal road, Kanjurmarg Metro car shed, along with matters related to petitions challenging constitutional validity of RERA law, height restriction for structures around airports and defence establishments,
Moreover, during Covid-19 pandemic he appeared for central government departments in matters seeking home vaccination for elderly and specially abled and pleas seeking oxygen supply and health management by the authorities.
The Appointments Committee of Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday approved “assignment” of charge of ASG representing Central government at Bombay High Court to Devang Girish Vyas, who is presently ASG at the Gujarat High Court. 
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