When the Union government walks into the Supreme Court to defend a constitutional amendment, fight a landmark tax dispute or respond to a challenge involving national policy, it is represented by a small group of legal heavyweights headed by the Attorney General and the Solicitor General. Their roles are among the most prestigious in India’s legal system, placing them at the intersection of law, governance and constitutional power.
Recently, the government reappointed Tushar Mehta as Solicitor General of India for another three years. Mehta, who has held the country’s second-highest law office since October 2018, is now on course to complete nearly 11 years in the position, potentially making him the longest-serving law officer in independent India.
Yet, despite the visibility and importance of these offices, there remains considerable curiosity about how India’s top legal representatives are compensated. Unlike bureaucrats or constitutional functionaries who receive fixed salaries, the Attorney General and Solicitor General function under a unique arrangement. They are not regular government employees, but independent senior advocates retained by the government through a combination of monthly retainers, appearance fees, opinion fees and a range of official privileges.
At the apex of this hierarchy is Attorney General R Venkataramani, the government’s chief legal adviser and principal representative before the Supreme Court. Appointed in October 2022, he is currently serving a term that runs until September 2027. Under the revised Law Officers (Conditions of Service) Amendment Rules, 2026, the Attorney General receives a monthly retainer of Rs 1.2 lakh, while the Solicitor General receives Rs 96,000. Additional Solicitors Generals are entitled to Rs 72,000 a month.
Those retainers, however, represent only a fraction of the overall remuneration.
The real earnings arise from the extensive fee structure attached to court appearances and advisory work. For appearances before the Supreme Court in suits, writ petitions, appeals and references, law officers are paid Rs 38,400 per case per day. Legal opinions on complex constitutional or statutory issues referred by the Ministry of Law and Justice attract fees of Rs 24,000 per case. Written submissions before the Supreme Court, High Courts, tribunals and commissions also command Rs 24,000 per case. For appearance in courts within their jurisdiction, apart from their headquarters, an Additional Solicitor General is paid Rs 60,000 per case per day.
The significance of these fees becomes apparent when viewed against the scale of government litigation. The Union government remains India’s single largest litigant, directly or indirectly involved in a substantial share of pending court cases. Service disputes, taxation matters, contractual disagreements and constitutional challenges ensure a constant flow of cases. Estimates suggest that senior law officers may appear in several matters on a single day, allowing appearance fees to accumulate rapidly.
For the Attorney General, the privileges extend beyond courtroom earnings. The office comes with rent-free government accommodation in New Delhi, usually within the prestigious Lutyens’ Delhi zone, along with dedicated secretarial support. A monthly sumptuary allowance covers official hospitality and entertainment expenses. Travel, boarding and lodging benefits are pegged to those available to officers at Pay Level 18—the same level as the Cabinet Secretary, India’s senior-most civil servant. Comprehensive medical facilities for the incumbent and dependent family members are also included.
The office also carries exceptional constitutional privileges. The Attorney General enjoys the right to participate in proceedings of both Houses of Parliament and parliamentary committees, although without voting rights. He possesses an unrestricted right of audience before all courts in India and enjoys parliamentary privileges and immunities while performing official duties.
Perhaps the most distinctive aspect of the arrangement is that neither the Attorney General nor the Solicitor General is considered a full-time government servant. Unlike judges or civil servants, they are not entitled to standard government pensions or dearness allowances. At the same time, they are permitted to maintain private legal practice, provided they do not appear against the government of India.
Historically, several Attorneys Generals have exercised that privilege. Mukul Rohatgi obtained permission to represent private clients in matters unrelated to the government, while distinguished predecessors such as CK Daphtary and Soli Sorabjee similarly balanced public office with select private briefs. In practice, however, the heavy demands of representing the government in the Supreme Court leave little room for substantial outside work.
This dual structure—public office combined with professional independence—creates a compensation model unlike any other in government service. A Supreme Court judge enjoys a fixed salary and guaranteed lifelong pension, but judicial earnings are capped by statute. By contrast, the Attorney General and Solicitor General can substantially increase their income through multiple daily appearances, advisory assignments and, where permitted, select private engagements.
The revised 2026 rules have further formalised the remuneration framework. While the monthly retainers may appear modest compared to private-sector legal fees, they are supplemented by an extensive schedule of payments covering appearances, pleadings, legal opinions and drafting work. Combined with official accommodation, travel privileges, staff support and constitutional status, the positions remain among the most coveted assignments in the Indian legal profession.
For India’s top legal officers, therefore, the attraction is not merely prestige or influence. It is also a rare blend of public authority, constitutional significance and substantial financial reward.
—The writer is former Senior Managing Editor, India Legal magazine
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