K.K. Venugopal


KK Venugopal is an Indian constitutional lawyer and Senior Advocate practicing in the Supreme Court of India. He was appointed as the the Attorney General of India from July 2017 and retired in September 2022. Mr Venugopal got enrolled as an Advocate in 1954. He was designated as a Senior Advocate by the Supreme Court of India in 1972. He served as the Additional Solicitor General of India in 1979-80. He was the President of the Supreme Court Bar Association during 1990-91, 1994-95 and 1999-2000. He also served as the President of SAARCLAW (International Association of Lawyers of the SAARC Countries) from 1995 to 1997; and President of the Union Internationale des Avocats (1996-97). A revered constitutional expert, he helped both Nepal and Bhutan draft their Constitutions.

Mr Venugopal has appeared in various high-profile cases, including the dismissal of the Karunanidhi government, National Judicial Appointments Commission case, and Babri Masjid demolition case. He has assisted the Supreme Court as Amicus Curiae in the 2G spectrum allocation scam case. He is one of the main advocates for judicial reforms in India. He recommends that Courts of Appeal be established in the four regions of the country, which would finally decide on appeals from High Court judgements in all cases other than cases of national importance which affect the whole country, disputes between the states or between the states and the Centre, Presidential references, and substantial questions of law relating to the interpretation of the Constitution. This, according to him, will relieve the burden on the Supreme Court.

Mr Venugopal was the Editor-in-Chief of the Third and Fourth editions of the book, “Justice Bachawat’s Law of Arbitration & Conciliation”. He did his BSc Physics from the prestigious Madras Christian College, Chennai; and Law from the Raja Lakhamgouda Law College, Belgaum, Karnataka.

Mr Venugopal was conferred the Padma Vibhushan in 2015 and the Padma Bhushan in 2002. He received the “Grand Cross” award and medal from the Bar Association of Bogota, Columbia, as well as a medal and citation from the Bar Associations of Buenos Aires and Matanza, Argentina, in recognition of his achievements in human rights and legal multi-lingualism and multi-culturalism. He also received the Global Award 2003 from the Chief Minister of Kerala and the Eswara Iyer Distinguished Lawyer Award from the Kerala Bar Federation.

Next Story
Share it