Chandigarh: Punjab advocate general Anmol Rattan Sidhu has resigned citing personal reasons, barely four months into his assignment since he took charge after AAP formed government in the state this March. News of his resignation was confirmed Tuesday, though it was accepted last Wednesday after he put in his papers on July 19.
Sources ascribed his exit to disagreements, especially with the chief secretary and senior bureaucrats. It has been learned that the government and Sidhu were not on the same page on some names of advocates he had suggested for appointment as law officers in the AG office, as they were also working during the previous Congress-led dispensation. Sources said Sidhu’s earlier affiliation with Congress was also a matter of discord.
However Sidhu denied any conflict with CM Bhagwant Mann’s government, and also said chief secretary V K Janjua is a good friend.
After Sidhu’s resignation, senior advocate Vinod Ghai is tipped to be the new AG.
As the most senior law officer of the state, the AG enjoys the rank of a cabinet minister and can attend assembly sessions and address its members as and when required. But the office in Punjab has been like a revolving door, with three AGs since September 2021. APS Deol was appointed as AG that month, and was replaced by D S Patwalia in November. Sidhu took over in March.
The AAP government had suffered a series of legal setbacks, especially in the Punjab and Haryana high court.
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