K Parasaran

The hearing of the petition seeking right to worship to women at Sabarimala, Kerala, in the Supreme Court has often led to inquisitive questions from the bench about Hinduism, spirituality, and tradition.

In the ongoing hearing of petitions seeking the right to worship for women devotees of the Sabarimala temple before a Justice Dipak Misra-led three-judge bench this afternoon at Court No.4, senior counsel KK Venugopal, while arguing for the temple board, said women could not be recruited to be fielded in the frontline of armed forces, because they lack courage.

The names of senior advocates Fali S Nariman, K K Venugopal, Harish Salve and attorney general Goolam Vahanvati have been forwarded in the category of “eminent jurist” to the Lokpal selection panel, alongside former attorney generals Soli Sorabjee and K Parasaran.

They will be discussed in a meeting scheduled for 3 February, reported the Indian Express:

The Lokpal will consist of a chairperson and a maximum of eight members, of which 50 per cent shall be judicial members and the rest shall be from among SCs, STs, OBCs, minorities and women. The selection committee has to have Prime Minister, Lok Sabha Speaker, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha and the Chief Justice of India. A fifth member of the selection committee for selection of Lokpal has to be nominated under the category of “eminent jurist”. These four members will co-opt the fifth member under this category. So far, names of six jurists have been doing the rounds for selection as the fifth member.

Breaking: Several sources have confirmed that Supreme Court additional solicitor general Mohan Parasaran will replace outgoing solicitor general of India Rohinton Nariman who resigned on Monday.

It is understood that Parasaran received a telephone call from a senior government official today offering him the appointment today, which he orally accepted.

Tax Sutra's Arun Giri first broke the story earlier today, citing sources [story, behind paywall].

Parasaran is the son of former attorney general of India and senior advocate K Parasaran. He was designated a senior advocate in 2002, and was first appointed an additional solicitor general in the Supreme Court in 2004.

Nariman had resigned from the office on Monday allegedly over difference of opinion with the law minister Ashwini Kumar. Legally India Supreme Court postcard writer Courtwitness tweeted: “[Rohinton F Nariman], from what I gather, did not like being ordered around by someone whom he does not think is as good a lawyer as him.”

Either the Times of India thinks that only advocates are lawyers or that law firm lawyers are just not so very top.

While I certainly would not dare disagree with the calibre and legal genius of each of these individuals, could not at least one law firmite have made it to the list?

Here's TOI's full list of top 10 lawyers, along with our nutshell summary of the paper's often brilliant commentary on each:

1. Fali Nariman
   The "wise man of the Bar" with a stature that "allows him to be blunt in court".
2. Soli J Sorabjee
   Former glorious AG, fierce free speech and HR advocate, "mad 'bawa' (Parsi) jokes", successful daughter.
3. Harish Salve
   The "legal robot" and all-round legal talent.
4. K. Parasaran
   "Articulate" and "ethically driven" "man for all seasons".
5. Ram Jethmalani
   Passionate about crimes with "rapier-sharp wit", proving crime does pay.
6. Abhishek Manu Singhvi
   "Buddha of the Bar", youngest additional solicitor general ever and happy enabler of all tricolor-wavers.
7. Mukul Rohatgi
   Voluble "king" of Delhi HC and Anil's gas dispute trusted counsel.
8. K.K. Venugopal
   "Constitutional crorepati", Emergency counterweight and collector - but where's the grey hair?
9. Rohinton F Nariman
   Cheerful corporate stalwart, fast riser to senior counsel, Fali's son.
10. Ashok Desai
    Reclusive former AG, softly-spoken but packing a serious punch and control.

Ok, so Zia Mody did make it the the list as a footnote but really, is it not time those doing great work in law firms are properly recognised in the public domain?

Possible explanations:

• court-room work is simply more glamorous than the desk-bound transactional variety,
• the ones on the list really are a league apart that law firmites have not yet been able to match, or
• the TOI did not read the Lawyers Collective judgment that "legal practice" includes desk-work.

What's your view?

For Times of India's full list click here - it's a very entertaining read that brings out many a wonderful personality!