The Karnataka government has appointed advocates Omar Hoda and Kunal Vajani as Additional Advocate Generals (AAGs) to represent the State before the Supreme Court of India, according to a notification issued by the Law, Justice and Human Rights Department.
The appointments have been made in exercise of the State government's executive powers under Article 162 of the Constitution and will take immediate effect until further orders.
The appointments come at a time when states are increasingly engaging specialist counsel to represent them in complex constitutional and intergovernmental disputes before the apex court. The move is expected to strengthen Karnataka’s legal representation before the Supreme Court as its caseload continues to expand.
Hoda is a senior practitioner before the Supreme Court with extensive experience in constitutional law, human rights, public law, commercial and regulatory litigation. He previously served as Additional Advocate General for the State of Chhattisgarh before the Supreme Court and has appeared in several significant cases involving fundamental rights, constitutional issues and civil liberties. He has also served as the National Coordinator for Human Rights, Law & RTIs for the All India Congress Committee (AICC).
Vajani is an advocate, arbitrator and mediator with nearly two decades of experience in dispute resolution. He has practised before the Supreme Court, various High Courts and tribunals, handling matters involving commercial, constitutional, criminal, taxation and arbitration law. He specialises in complex civil and commercial disputes, constitutional litigation, white-collar matters and international arbitration.
Before establishing his independent practice, Vajani served as Joint Managing Partner at Fox & Mandal and later stepped down from the position to focus on litigation and trial practice. He also served as a Court Member (India) of the ICC International Court of Arbitration in Paris between 2016 and 2024 and is currently a Court Member of the Asian International Arbitration Centre’s Court of Arbitration.
Vajani is qualified as a Solicitor of the Supreme Court of England & Wales and holds rights of audience before the DIFC Courts in Dubai.
