“Not on the same page”

Rohinton Nariman resigned from his post of solicitor general (SG) of India on February 4, 2013, barely 18 months after he was appointed the second most senior law officer of the country. In his letter of resignation, sent to Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, with a copy to law minister Ashwani Kumar, he did not state any reason for quitting the post. It is widely believed that serious differences of opinion with the latter about representing the government in certain cases outside Delhi prompted the action, mentioned reports in the national Press on the following day. Neither Nariman nor Kumar would take telephone calls from the Press.
The 56-year-old senior Harvard-educated advocate, known for his plain speak inside and outside the court, had considerably curbed his mercurial temper to suit the job requirement, stated The Times of India (TOI) of February 5. However, sources informed The Indian Express (IE) of the same day that Nariman was not happy with the manner in which instructions in important court matters were issued to him at virtually the eleventh hour. According to IE, there have been many occasions when law officers have been asked to appear at the last minute, with even court papers not being delivered to them in advance.
Just three days earlier, on February 1, 2013, the Supreme Court had imposed a cost of one lakh rupees on the government for not ensuring that an additional SG was present during a case, states newspaper report. Reportedly someone urgently requested Nariman to rescue the government from this embarrassment and the SG rushed to court room, vigorously pleaded for leniency and waiver of the fine which was granted, much to the relief of the government. This "deepens the puzzle about what could have been the provocation” for Nariman to suddenly resign, TOI notes.
The Free Press Journal wrote that Nariman and the law minister "were not on the same page on certain issues.” TOI reported that "there was a heated exchange — not necessarily on a point of law — according to insiders, between the two” during the past week. Pressure of work and politics surrounding the functioning of the SG have made it difficult for most to complete the full tenure of five years, co-terminus with the tenure of the ruling government. In fact, during the past four decades, only three of these law officers have managed to complete their term, state Press reports.