2G scam: Attorney general to represent PM

The government, under fire from the Supreme Court bench hearing the public interest litigation in the 2G spectrum allocation scandal, on Thursday decided to field its top law officer - attorney general Goolam E Vahanvati - in the next hearing.

Vahanvati will represent the government, including the prime minister's office (PMO), while solicitor general Gopal Subramanium, who has been appearing for the Union of India, will represent the Department of Telecommunications (DoT). Another law officer will represent the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

Union law minister M Veerappa Moily apparently passed orders to this effect after his meeting with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, where he is said to have informed Singh about the developments in the court.

It is learnt that on the next date of hearing (23 November) of the PIL filed by Janata Party leader Subramanian Swamy seeking sanction to prosecute former union telecom minister A Raja in the scam, an affidavit would be filed on behalf of a senior officer in the PMO, detailing the steps taken by it after receiving the first letter from Swamy dated 29 November 2008.

A report says the prime minister wanted the attorney general for more effective representation.

Subramanium said, "It is not a question of replacement but of better coordination. I will continue to represent the central government and the DoT on the issue while the attorney general will represent the prime minister."