Tushar Mehta is an India advocate. He is the Solicitor General of India.
Wiki/Biography
Tushar Mehta was born on Friday, September 11, 1964, in Jamnagar, Gujarat, India (59 years; as of 2024). His zodiac sign is Virgo. He pursued his law degree from Sir LA Shah Law College, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, graduating with five gold medals.
appearance
Height (approximately): 5′7″
Hair Color: Salt and Pepper
Eye color: black
family
Parents and siblings
His father (deceased) was a government employee. His mother is a housewife. When Mehta was 12 years old, her father died and the family originally lived in Jamnagar and later moved to Ahmedabad, Gujarat.
wife and children
He is married to Aparna Mehta. The couple has two children. His daughter Aastha Mehta Rao is an attorney and managing partner at AM Legal Associates.
Aastha Mehta Rao, daughter of Tushar Mehta
address
10 Akbar Road, New Delhi – 110001.
Profession
Tushar Mehta was admitted as a lawyer in 1987. In 1988, he served as an apprentice under Krishna Kant Vakharia, Senior Advocate of the Gujarat High Court. In 2000, Tushar Mehta started working with Ahmedabad District Cooperative Bank, where Amit Shah was the president. The two often discussed and drafted petitions together and became good friends. Mehta collaborated with Krishna Kant Vakharia until 2004 and went on to establish her own clinic.
Tushar Mehta in his office at his residence
In 2008, Mehta was appointed Senior Advocate by the Gujarat High Court and Amit Shah. The Minister of State for Home and Law of Gujarat appointed Mehta as Additional Advocate General. Mehta handles civil litigation for the government. Mehta came to prominence in 2010 when he represented the state of Gujarat in the Sohrabuddin Sheikh encounter case, in which Amit Shah was named as an accused. Shah was acquitted in 2014. When Narendra Modi became Prime Minister in 2014, Mehta joined Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi’s team. In 2014, he became the Solicitor General of India, the second-highest judicial official in India. Mehta was appointed Solicitor General of India in 2018.
Tushar Mehta (second from right) at a ceremony celebrating his appointment as Solicitor General of India in 2018
He completed his term in 2020 and was reappointed for a three-year term along with six new deputy attorneys general. In July 2023, he was reappointed as Deputy Attorney General.
Famous cases
Repeal of Article 370
On December 11, 2023, the Supreme Court headed by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud upheld the federal government’s decision to revoke Article 370 and grant special status to Jammu and Kashmir (J&K). Deputy Attorney General Mehta represents the federal government. The constitution of J&K lapsed, its “special status” was revoked and the Constitution of India applied to J&K. Mehta said in an interview about his role in the case,
As the only lawyer who participated in the process of abrogating Article 370 through constitutional and legal means before August 5, 2019, and to lead the debate before the Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court while defending the constitutional process, this is also a historic day for me.”
Tushar Mehta (far right, permanent) during court proceedings in abolition of Article 370 case
same-sex marriage
In 2023, a five-judge Constitution Bench refused to legally recognize same-sex marriage and said it was within the jurisdiction of Parliament to amend the law. The court also refused to recognize the right of same-sex couples to adopt together. Mehta has faced criticism and controversy for his comments during the trial. He was roundly criticized for his argument that the “natural way” to raise a child is with a partner of the opposite sex. Responding to Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud’s statement that “a child adopted by a lesbian or gay couple is not necessarily lesbian or gay”, Mehta said,
This may be the personal view of the CJI… which may not correctly reflect the psychology of a child brought up by such a couple. ”
The announcement sparked a public backlash, with activists and citizens stressing the need for those arguing in court to be educated on the current issues. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Centre, congratulated the court on the verdict and stressed the importance of adhering to separation of powers.
Tushar Mehta (bottom row, far right) argued the federal government’s same-sex marriage case in court
dispute
Comments to journalists
In 2020, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta’s remarks before the Supreme Court while handling the migrant workers’ case sparked controversy. Mehta was hostile to interveners, lawyers and journalists during the proceedings of the petition, which seeks to address the challenges faced by migrant workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. During the court proceedings, Mehta objected to senior lawyers representing groups aiding migrant workers. He accuses them of making huge amounts of money without leaving their air-conditioned offices. This drew criticism because Mehta himself was well paid and had a comfortable office. During the course of the proceedings, he spread negative information and misinformation, such as:
some isolated, limited instances [of the migrant crisis] Being played over and over again… there was some media coverage and some people – I’d like to register two complaints. “There are some doomsday prophets who keep spreading misinformation. No courtesy to the country…those who come before Your Majesty and let them establish their credentials. Their income is in crores. Did they spend a single penny? People Feeding people on the street. Are any of them willing to walk out of the AC office? The question is, what are they contributing?”
Mehta also accused former judges, senior lawyers, historians, writers and activists of “not showing courtesy towards the country” and lacking patriotism. This tactic was seen as an attempt to divert attention from the actual issues in court. Mehta also sought to equate the government with the country and said criticism of the government was unpatriotic. The move was criticized as elevating the status of an elected government to that of a “state” was seen as dangerous to democracy and fascism. Mehta also attacked the media and undermined its role in covering the migrant workers crisis. Mehta called their work disgusting and morally wrong. On March 30, 2020, he denied that there was a migrant worker on the road, spreading misinformation and raising concerns about the responsibility of government law enforcement officers to tell the truth.
Migrant workers stranded during COVID-19 pandemic
The court’s failure to address Mehta’s misconduct and prevent him from making such remarks has raised concerns about the Supreme Court’s credibility.
Trinamool Congress opposes Tushar Mehta
In 2021, a group of Trinamool Congress (TMC) Members of Parliament (MPs) met former president Ram Nath Kovind and sought action against Tushar Mehta for committing “criminal misconduct” and “serious misconduct” over his meeting with BJP MLA Suvendu ” Adhikari, an accused in the 2016 Narada tape case.
Tushar Mehta (right) pictured with Suvendu Adhikari
Mehta responded,
Yesterday around 3 pm, Suvendu Adhikari did come to my residence cum office without prior notice. As I was already in my room for a pre-arranged meeting, my staff asked him to sit in the waiting room of my office building…thereafter my (private secretary) notified me of his arrival and I asked him to convey Mr Adhikari I was helpless to go meet him and apologize to him as he had to wait. Mr. Adhikari thanked me for the PPS and left without insisting on seeing me. Therefore, the question of my meeting with Mr. Adhikari did not arise. ”
TMC MPs Sukhendu Sekhar Ray and Mahua Moitra said the meeting raised suspicions of dishonesty and Mehta’s clarification was untenable. They linked Adhikari’s visit to Mehta to a meeting with Home Minister Amit Shah, accusing Adhikari of trying to influence criminal cases. They called for an investigation into Mehta’s conduct and for his resignation to ensure constitutional values are upheld.
Awards, Honors, Achievements
- The University of Gujarat awarded Tushar Mehta the Late Justice Shri NGShelat Memorial Medal.
- Mehta was awarded the Late Shri GD Shah Medal by the University of Gujarat.
- Mehta was awarded the Late Shri DD Medh Medal by the University of Gujarat.
- The Gujarat Bar Association awarded Mehta the Shri Nani Palkhiwala Medal.
- The Gujarat Bar Association awarded Tushar Mehta the Shri Daulat Trivedi Medal.
- Tushar Mehta received an honorary doctorate from Amity University, Noida, in 2017.
Tushar Mehta (third from left) received Amity University honors in 2017
- Tushar Mehta received an honorary doctorate from Karnataka State Law University in 2020.
Facts/Trivia
- Tushar Mehta was paid Rs 3.96 crore for nine appearances in Hijab Row.
- Tushar Mehta has been invited as the chief guest to speak at various events, panel discussions and universities.
Tushar Mehta (far right) with other members of the panel discussion at the Indian Arbitration Conclave 2023
- Mehta is a fan of Urdu poetry and ghazals. His collection includes Mir Taqi Mir, Wali Dakni and Ghalib. He mentioned in an interview that it is important to have interests outside of law and that he reads something unrelated to this every day.
Categories: Biography
Source: HIS Education