New Delhi, August 17: Peeved at law officers giving independent advice to various departments without consulting the law ministry and talking to media on sensitive issues, the law secretary today shot off letters to them asking them to be careful in their approach.
While the attorney general and solicitor general were sent the letters yesterday, the legal department today issued a similar communication to all the additional solicitor generals.
“Off late, it has been noticed that law officers are tendering advice to various ministries/govt departments directly without receiving a reference from the ministry and thereby creating embarrassing situations,” stated the letter signed by law secretary DR Meena.
The ministry has sternly asked its law officers to desist from making statements before the court without receiving its instructions.
“Law officers have made statements having wide financial implications and ramifications on behalf of the government, without the (law) ministry’s instructions,” said the letter.
It is learnt that law minister M Veerappa Moily is upset over the assurances given by a law officer on behalf of the government in the Supreme Court that adequate funds would be provided for creation of infrastructure for the judiciary in the country.
Upset with the tendency among the law officers to send their legal opinions and leak the ministry’s details to the media, the ministry has asked them not to do so.
–Agencies