Contents
Tushar Mehta is an Indian advocate. He is the Solicitor General of India.
Wiki/Biography
Tushar Mehta was born on Friday, 11 September 1964 (age 59 years; as of 2024) in Jamnagar, Gujarat, India. His zodiac sign is Virgo. He pursued his law degree from Sir L. A. Shah Law College in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, where he graduated with five gold medals.
Physical Appearance
Height (approx.): 5′ 7″
Hair Colour: Salt and Pepper
Eye Colour: Black
Family
Parents & Siblings
His father (deceased) was a government employee. His mother was a homemaker. The family used to live in Jamnagar but moved to Ahmedabad, Gujarat when Mehta was 12 years old, upon the death of his father.
Wife & Children
He is married to Aparna Mehta. The couple have two children. His daughter, Aastha Mehta Rao is an advocate and the managing partner of AM Legal Associates.
Tushar Mehta’s daughter, Aastha Mehta Rao
Address
10, Akbar Road, New Delhi – 110001.
Career
Tushar Mehta enrolled as an advocate in 1987. In 1988, he worked as an apprentice under a senior advocate in the Gujarat High Court, Krishna Kant Vakharia. In 2000, Tushar Mehta started working at the Ahmedabad District Cooperative Bank, where Amit Shah was the president. The two used to discuss and draft petitions together and became good friends. Mehta worked with Krishna Kant Vakharia until 2004 and went on to establish his practice.
Tushar Mehta in the office in his residence
In 2008 Mehta was appointed as a senior advocate by the High Court of Gujarat and Amit Shah. Gujarat’s Minister of State for Home and Law appointed Mehta as an Additional Advocate General. Mehta handled civil litigations for the government. Mehta gained prominence in 2010 when he represented the State of Gujarat in the Sohrabuddin Sheikh encounter case, where Amit Shah was named an accused. In 2014, Shah was acquitted. When Narendra Modi became Prime Minister in 2014, Mehta joined Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi’s team. In 2014 he became the Additional Solicitor General of India, India’s second highest law officer. Mehta was appointed as the Solicitor General of India in 2018.
Tushar Mehta (second from right) at a felicitation ceremony honouring him being named Solicitor General of India in 2018
He completed his term in 2020 and was reappointed for three years, alongside six new Additional Solicitors General. He was reappointed once again as Solicitor General in July 2023.
Notable Cases
Abrogation of Article 370
On 11 December 2023, the Supreme Court, led by Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud, upheld the Union government’s decision to revoke Article 370, granting special status to Jammu and Kashmir (J&K). Solicitor General Mehta represented the Union government. The Constitution of J&K became inoperative, their “special status” was removed and the Indian Constitution applied to J&K. Speaking of his role in the case, in an interview, Mehta said,
Being the only lawyer involved in the process of abrogation of Article 370 through constitutional and legal means before 5th August, 2019 and having led the arguments before the Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court while defending the constitutional process, it is a historical day for me too.”
Tushar Mehta (extreme right, standing) during the court proceedings of the case regarding the abrogation of Article 370
Same-Sex Marriage
In 2023, a five-judge constitution bench refused to legally recognize same-sex marriages, stating that altering the law falls within the jurisdiction of Parliament. The court also refused to acknowledge the right to joint adoption for same-sex couples. Mehta faced criticism and controversy for the statements he made during the proceedings of this case. He made arguments stating that the “natural way” to raise children would be with a heterosexual couple, a statement that was heavily criticised. In response to Chief Justice of India D. Y. Chandrachud saying that “The adopted child of a lesbian or gay couple need not necessarily be lesbian or gay”, Mehta said,
It may be the CJI’s personal view… It may not be a proper reflection of the child’s psychology when groomed by such couples.”
This statement brought public backlash and activists and citizens highlighted the need for those arguing in court to be educated in the matter at hand. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Centre, celebrated the decision of the court and emphasized the importance of following the separation of powers.
Tushar Mehta (bottom row, extreme right), in court, arguing on behalf of the union government for the same-sex marriage case
Controversies
Comment Towards Journalists
In 2020, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta’s statements in the Supreme Court during the migrant labourers’ case led to controversy. During the proceedings of a petition addressing the challenges faced by migrant workers during the COVID-19 pandemic, Mehta was hostile towards intervenors, counsels, and journalists. During the court session, Mehta objected to senior lawyers representing groups assisting migrant workers. He accused them of earning large sums and not leaving their air-conditioned offices. This drew criticism, as Mehta himself has a high income and a comfortable office. During the proceedings, he spread negativity and misinformation such as,
Some isolated, limited instances [of the migrant crisis] are being shown repeatedly…There are some media reports and some people – two complaints I want to register. “There are prophets of doom who keep spreading Misinformation. Not showing courtesy to the Nation…Those who come before your Lordships, let them establish their credentials. They earn in crores. Have they spent a penny? People are feeding people on the streets. Had any of them cared to come out of their AC offices? The question to ask is, What have they contributed?”
Mehta also accused former judges, senior lawyers, historians, writers, and activists, of “not showing courtesy to the nation” and lacking patriotism. This tactic was seen as an attempt to divert attention from the actual issues before the court. Mehta also tried to equate the government with the nation and stated that criticism against the government was unpatriotic. This was criticized as elevating the status of an elected government to that of “the nation” was considered to be dangerous for democracy and fascism. Mehta also attacked the media and undermined the media’s role in reporting the migrant workers’ crisis. Mehta called their work distasteful and ethically wrong. On 30 March 2020, he spread misinformation by denying the presence of a single migrant worker on the road which raised concerns about a government law officer’s duty to state the truth.
Migrant labourers stranded during the COVID-19 pandemic
The court’s failure to address Mehta’s inappropriate behaviour and stop him from making such statements brought about concerns about the Supreme Court’s credibility.
Trinamool Congress Against Tushar Mehta
In 2021, a group of Trinamool Congress (TMC) MPs (Member of Parliament) met former President Ram Nath Kovind and sought action against Tushar Mehta due to his “criminal misconduct” and “gross impropriety” on account of his meeting with BJP MLA Suvendu Adhikari, an accused in the 2016 Narada tapes case.
A picture of Tushar Mehta (right) alongside Suvendu Adhikari
In response, Mehta said,
Suvendu Adhikari did come to my residence-cum-office yesterday at around 3 pm, unannounced. Since I was already in a pre-scheduled meeting in my chamber, my staff requested him to sit in the waiting room of my office building…thereafter my (personal secretary) informed me about his arrival, I requested him to convey Mr Adhikari my inability to meet him and apologise as he had to wait. Mr Adhikari thanked my PPS and left without insisting to meet me. The question of my meeting with Mr Adhikari therefore did not arise.”
TMC MPs Sukhendu Sekhar Ray and Mahua Moitra stated that the meeting raised doubts about dishonesty, and Mehta’s clarification was not maintainable. They connected Adhikari’s visit to Mehta with a meeting with Home Minister Amit Shah, alleging an attempt to influence criminal cases. They called for an investigation into Mehta’s conduct, demanding that he resign to ensure constitutional values were being maintained.
Awards, Honours, Achievements
- Gujarat University awarded Tushar Mehta the Late Justice Shri N.G.Shelat Memorial Medal.
- Mehta received the Late Shri G.D. Shah Medal from Gujarat University.
- Mehta was awarded the Late Shri D.D. Medh Medal by Gujarat University.
- Gujarat Law Society awarded Mehta with the Shri Nani Palkhiwala Medal.
- Gujarat Law Society awarded the Shri Daulat Trivedi Medal to Tushar Mehta.
- Tushar Mehta received an honourary doctorate from Amity University, Noida in 2017.
Tushar Mehta (third from left) receiving his honourary from Amity University in 2017
- Tushar Mehta received an honourary doctorate from Karnataka State Law University in 2020.
Facts/Trivia
- Tushar Mehta was paid Rs 39.60 lakh for making nine appearances in court for the Hijab Row.
- Tushar Mehta is invited as the chief guest and gives talks at various events, panel discussions, and universities.
Tushar Mehta (extreme right) along with other members of the panel discussion at the Arbitrate in India Conclave, 2023
- Mehta is a fan of Urdu poetry and ghazals. His collection includes Mir Taqi Mir, Wali Dakni and Ghalib. In an interview, he mentioned that it was important to have interests outside the law and that he read something unrelated to it every day.