Himachal govt paid Rs 2.60 cr to 277 advocates for services till Dec 2024: CM Sukhu

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu informed the Assembly during question hour on Tuesday that Rs 2.60 crore was paid as a fee to 277 advocates for pleading various cases under litigation in different courts from January 2022 till December 31, 2024.Additionally, he informed that the Himachal government has been availing the services of senior lawyer Abhishek Singhvi to save democracy.

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu informed the Assembly during question hour on Tuesday that Rs 2.60 crore was paid as a fee to 277 advocates for pleading various cases under litigation in different courts from January 2022 till December 31, 2024.

Additionally, he informed that the Himachal government has been availing the services of senior lawyer Abhishek Singhvi to 'save democracy'. Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur inquired about the specific cases where Abhishek Singhvi represented the government and said that he had argued against the government in cases involving the Oberoi Group and JSW power projects. Jai Ram also alleged that the government hired four advocates to defend the appointments of chief parliamentary secretaries and paid them Rs 2 crore. In response to questions from Jai Ram Thakur and Vipin Singh Parmar (BJP), Sukhu highlighted that the government successfully resolved the long-standing Wildflower Hall hotel case against the Oberoi Group, a legal battle that lasted 23 years, resulting in an expected addition of Rs 300 crore to the state exchequer. The government also won the case of enhanced royalty against the Karcham-Wangtoo hydropower project against JSW power projects, which would yield additional revenue of Rs 150 to 200 crore annually, he added. The chief minister noted that cases related to the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB), the Shanan Project, and Water Cess are currently pending in the Supreme Court, and that the government has hired senior advocates, including P Chidambaram, Mukul Rastogi, Kapil Sibal, and Abhishek Singhvi. He emphasised that the government evaluates advocates based on their expertise rather than their political affiliations.

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