Sorabjee had been honoured with Padma Vibhushan in 2002 for his defence of the freedom of expression and the protection of human rights.
'Soli steadfastly believed in Voltaire's famous dictum that he would disagree violently with anyone but defend to death that person's right to disagree with him.'
Rohatgi was made attorney general in June. In the past 2 months, his rulings have raised eyebrows for being in line with the political alignment of the government. Kavita Chowdhury reports
The attorney-general is understood to have said that the government need not go to Parliament prior to privatisation of the oil PSUs.
It is convention that the Attorney General submits his resignation after the exit of the government that had appointed him.
Over the years, a noticeable unpleasantness began to develop between senior and junior, Sorabjee and Salve. Salve gave credit, for his rise in the profession, to Nani Palkhivala, and not to Sorabjee. This hurt Sorabjee, though he never admitted it.
Attorney-General Soli Sorabjee's response on the privatisation of Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd and Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd is likely to be known later this week.
The Joint Parliamentary Committee on the 2G spectrum scam on Wednesday began examining the telecom policy pursued during the National Democratic Alliance rule as it sought to know the quantum of losses incurred during that period and decided to summon the then Attorney General Soli Sorabjee in this connection.
Attorney General Soli Sorabjee has said the sale of stakes in two state-run oil refiners does not need parliamentary approval.
Seeking to erase the general perception that the President of India was a mere ceremonial figure, former Attorney General Soli Sorabjee said that it was imperative that the First Citizen exercises independent judgement at times of crisis.
Bowing to pressure from the opposition, Divestment Minister Arun Shourie on Tuesday assured the Rajya Sabha that he would seek an opinion from Attorney General Soli Sorabjee on the legality of the sell-off of HPCL and BPCL.
'At the best, government can go in for a review,' Attorney General Soli Sorabjee said about the Supreme Court verdict stalling the divestment of HPCL and BPCL.
Justice S N Phukan Commission also refused to put on record Tehelkas paper on withdrawing from future proceedings.
Indian batting icon Sachin Tendulkar was conferred the Order of Australia at a function in Mumbai on Tuesday. The Rajya Sabha MP is only the second Indian after former Attorney General Soli Sorabjee to get the honour.
Earlier a bench headed by Justice Shah had said government employees had no fundamental, legal, moral or statutory right to go on strike.
Batra Hospitality Private Ltd broke no ground rules while disposing off its shareholding in Centaur Hotel Mumbai to Sahara Group, Lok Sabha was informed on Wednesday.
Divesment Minister Arun Shourie said on Tuesday he had apprised Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee about the Attorney General Soli Sorabjee's opinion on privatisation of HPCL, BPCL.
Attorney General Soli Sorabjee is likely to give by Friday his opinion on legal aspects of divestment of oil PSUs HPCL and BPCL, which were nationalised through Acts of Parliament.
The Cabinet Committee on Divestment failed to take any decision on the divestment of public sector oil companies -- Hindustan Petroleum Corporation and Bharat Petroleum Corporation.
The Cabinet Committee on Divestment is likely to meet on Sunday to consider various issues relating to the privatisation of HPCL and BPCL, following a favourable opinion given by Attorney General Soli Sorabjee.
Former power minister Suresh Prabhu has been chosen to head a task force to pursue this deadline.
Members of the Election Commission are like Caesar's wife, beyond suspicion, he said.
Former Supreme Court judge Justice A K Ganguly, under fire over allegations of sexual harassment levelled against him by a law intern, has resigned from the post of the chairman of the West Bengal Human Rights Commission.
Eminent jurist and former Attorney General of India Soli J Sorabjee on Wednesday said that Karnataka High Court Chief Justice P D Dinkaran should not preside over judicial proceedings till his name is cleared of the land grabbing allegations. "In the fitness of things, till the time he is cleared of the allegations, he (Dinakaran) should voluntarily desist from taking up judicial work," Sorabjee said.
Expressing his ignorance about allegations that Justice (retd) A K Ganguly was framed for his 2G verdict, Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad on Monday said Union Cabinet has done whatever done in his matter.
The Supreme Court admitted an appeal by BSNL challenging a TDSAT decision expressing inability to penalise Bharti Telesonics Ltd for allegedly violating conditional clearance for providing national long distance telephone service.
The Supreme Court was hearing a petition that said the legislation interfered with the fundamental rights of the people, especially the freedom of speech and expression guaranteed under article 19 of the Constitution.
In a major step to keep the price of essential medicines under control, the Union government on Friday informed the Supreme Court that 75 new medicines have been added to the essential drugs list after reviewing the pharmaceutical policy, 2002.
The Medical Council of India alleged the Centre gave recognition to certain medical colleges in Andhra Pradesh without consulting it.
The Centre is expected to finalise the list of Bharatiya Janata Party veterans to be appointed as Governors to fill up vacancies in various Raj Bhawans on Wednesday.
It has given the government time till September 18 to inform it about the whereabouts of 11 Pakistani prisoners and on the grounds on which they were detained.
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