Solicitor General of India / Senior Advocate
Tushar M. Mehta is a senior advocate and the current Solicitor General of India. Born on 11 September 1964 in Jamnagar, Gujarat, he spent his early years in the state before his family moved to Ahmedabad following the death of his father, who was a government employee. Mr. Mehta completed his education in Ahmedabad, graduating in law from L. A. Shah Law College, affiliated with Gujarat University. During his academic years, he earned five gold medals for excellence in different branches of law, including the N. G. Shelat Memorial Medal, G. D. Shah Medal, D. D. Medh Medal, Nani Palkhivala Medal, and Daulat Trivedi Medal — distinctions that reflected his early academic brilliance, as noted in his Bar India profile.
Early Legal Career
After enrolling as an advocate with the Bar Council of Gujarat in 1987, Mr. Mehta began his legal career under Krishnakant Vakharia, a senior advocate at the Gujarat High Court. According to The Indian Express, his early years at the bar were shaped by an interest in public and constitutional law. He established his own independent practice at the Gujarat High Court, handling matters related to service law, co-operative societies, and administrative law.
Public Appointments and Rise in Government Service
Mr. Mehta was designated as a senior counsel by the High Court of Gujarat in August 2008. In December 2008, he was appointed as Additional Advocate General, State of Gujarat. He served in that position until June 2014, representing the state in constitutional and policy-related matters. Shortly thereafter, in June 2014, he was appointed Additional Solicitor General of India, a position he held until October 2018.
On 10 October 2018, Mr. Mehta was appointed as the Solicitor General of India, succeeding Ranjit Kumar. In this capacity, he became the second-highest law officer in the country, representing the Union of India before the Supreme Court. His term has been extended multiple times — most recently in July 2023, when the government renewed his appointment for another three years.
Major Cases and Court Appearances
As Solicitor General, Mr. Mehta has appeared in several landmark constitutional and policy cases. He was part of the legal team defending the abrogation of Article 370, which revoked the special status of Jammu and Kashmir — one of the most consequential constitutional cases in recent Indian history.
He also represented the Karnataka government in the Hijab case, concerning the right to wear religious attire in educational institutions. His appearances for the Union government have included major cases on federal relations, public order, and national security. In 2025, Mr. Mehta was appointed by the Ministry of Home Affairs to lead the prosecution in the NIA case against Tahawwur Rana — highlighting his trusted role in matters involving national security.
In the digital regulation space, he appeared on behalf of the Union in a case filed by X Corp, defending the government’s takedown orders and regulatory regime, and urging that Indian jurisprudence on freedom of expression be grounded in India’s constitutional tradition (rather than uncritically adopting Western precedents).
Mr. Mehta has also engaged key issues about the privileges of the bar. In a recent Supreme Court case concerning whether lawyers can be summoned by investigative agencies, he argued that attorney-client privilege is a sacrosanct principle and that “if a lawyer commits an offence, no exceptions should apply.”
His appearances have frequently drawn attention in both legal and political circles for the central role he plays in defending government policy before the Supreme Court.
Public Engagements and Thought Leadership
Beyond his courtroom work, Mr. Tushar Mehta is a regular speaker at conferences and public events relating to constitutional law, arbitration, and governance. He has addressed the International Conference on Arbitration and the Rule of Law, delivering the valedictory speech on India’s evolving arbitration framework (YouTube).
He has also spoken at law universities and bar events, emphasizing judicial efficiency, institutional integrity, and the importance of professional ethics in advocacy.
Honours and Recognition
Mr. Tushar Mehta has received honorary doctorates from Amity University, Noida, and the Karnataka State Law University in recognition of his contributions to the legal profession.