Acting Advocate General (A-G) Rohit Deo told the Bombay High Court on Friday that an A-G would be appointed on or before December 30.
The State had filed an affidavit on December 13 saying that the post will be filled by the end of the month. A Division Bench of Justice Abhay Oka and Justice Anuja Prabhudessai was hearing a petition filed by Sanjay Dutt, a member of the legislative council. The petition urged the court to direct the State to appoint an A-G under Article 165 of the Indian Constitution. The petition also seeks that the post, which that has been held by Mr. Deo since June 17 this year, be declared unconstitutional as it is not in accordance with the same article.
The court crticised the State for not complying with the deadline of December 23 and has adjourned the matter to January 9.
The court has previoulsy taken serious view of the matter and observed that constitutional and statutory functions are suffering due to the non-appointment of the A-G and has hurt the cause of justice.
Since 2014, the court witnessed the post being filled by many, but not for more than six months. On November 18, 2014, Sunil Manohar was appointed as the A-G, but he resigned on June 9, 2015. On June 11, 2015, Additional Solicitor General Anil Singh was given the additional post of acting A-G. On October 14, 2015, Shreehari Aney was appointed as the A-G, and he resigned on March 22, 2016.
