Central Govt Guidelines for Empanelment of Advocates as Panel Counsel

The Department of Legal Affairs, Ministry of Law and Justice, issued an Office Memorandum dated 20th August, 2026, setting out certain guidelines. It pertains to the empanelment of advocates as Panel Counsel for Union of India before the Supreme Court, various High Courts, District and Subordinate Courts, and Tribunals/Forums. The details and various requirements addressed in the guidelines have been shared hereunder.

Background

The Department of Legal Affairs has been given the mandate for conduct of litigation on behalf of the Union of India before various courts, tribunals, and forums. For this purpose, the Department empanels advocates as "Panel Counsel," generally for a period of three years. This is the latest notification for empanelment of advocates issued by the Department, consolidating the eligibility criteria, application process, and terms of engagement for such empanelment.

Essential Qualifications for Empanelment of Advocates as Panel Counsel

According to the guidelines, an applicant must:

Hold a Bachelor's degree in law from a university or college recognised by the Bar Council of India.
Be enrolled with the respective State Bar Council under the Advocates Act, 1961.
Have qualified the All-India Bar Examination (AIBE) and obtained a Certificate of Practice (CoP).

Panel Counsel: Eligibility and Experience

Advocates may be considered for empanelment subject to fulfilment of the experience of legal practice specified in Annexure-I of the guidelines. The Department states that consideration will be given to the nature, complexity, and category of cases handled, the level of responsibility, and the advocate's ability to conduct high-stakes matters.

Advocates with experience in Special Laws, such as Income Tax, Customs, GST, and the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), may be considered for specialised panels representing the Union before courts, tribunals, and quasi-judicial fora. Advocates with 10 years of legal work experience gained during Government Service may also be considered for empanelment based on their area of expertise. The overall performance track record, conduct, and integrity of an advocate during the empanelment process will additionally be taken into account.

Experience Requirements Across Courts and Tribunals

The minimum legal practice experience required for Panel Counsel for Union of India across different courts and tribunals is as follows:

Supreme Court of India: 5 years for Group 'A', 4 years for Group 'B', and 3 years for Group 'C' Panel Counsel.
Most High Courts (including Allahabad, Andhra Pradesh, Gauhati, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Madras, Manipur, Meghalaya, Orissa, Patna, Punjab & Haryana, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Telangana, Tripura, and Uttarakhand): 10 years for Deputy Solicitor General, 5 years for Senior Panel Counsel, and 4 years for Central Government Counsel.
Bombay High Court (Principal Bench, Mumbai): 5 years for Special Counsel, 4 years for Senior Counsel Group-I, 3 years for Senior Counsel Group-II, and 2 years for Junior Counsel; other benches of the Bombay High Court follow the 10/5/4-year structure.
Calcutta High Court (Principal Bench, Kolkata): 10 years for Deputy Solicitor General, 5 years for Special Counsel, 4 years for Senior Counsel Group-I, 3 years for Senior Counsel Group-II, and 2 years for Junior Counsel; other benches follow the 10/5/4-year structure.
Delhi High Court: 5 years for Central Government Standing Counsel and Senior Panel Counsel, and 2 years for Government Pleader.
Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT): Principal Bench and most CAT benches require 5 years for Senior Central Government Standing Counsel and Senior Panel Counsel, and 3 years for Additional Central Government Standing Counsel; CAT Mumbai and Kolkata benches follow a 5/4/3/2-year structure across four counsel categories.
Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT) Benches: 5 years for Senior Central Government Standing Counsel and Senior Panel Counsel, and 4 years for Central Government Counsel.
District Courts in Delhi: 5 years for Senior Panel Counsel and 3 years for Additional Central Government Counsel.
District and Subordinate Courts nationwide (excluding Delhi): 5 years for Standing Government Counsel and 3 years for Additional Standing Government Counsel.
Arbitration Matters (Delhi and NCR): 5 years for Senior Counsel and 2 years for Junior Counsel.
Special Public Prosecutor / Additional Public Prosecutor (High Court and Special Court): 10 years.
National Green Tribunal and Telecom Regulatory Authority of India: 15 years for Standing Counsel in each case.

The guidelines on empanelment of advocates for Panel Counsel note that the post of Senior Central Government Standing Counsel was renamed Assistant Solicitor General, and subsequently renamed Deputy Solicitor General, vide the Department's Office Memorandum dated 13th September, 2022. Vacant posts of Deputy Solicitor General in various High Courts will be filled according to the minimum legal practice experience specified for that post.

Process of Empanelment of Panel Counsels

Applications for empanelment must be submitted in the prescribed format under Annexure-II (Application for Empanelment) and addressed to the Deputy Secretary, Department of Legal Affairs, Ministry of Law and Justice. Applications may be sent by email at panelcounsel-dla@gov.in. Officers of the Department will scrutinize applications for compliance with eligibility criteria, completeness, authenticity of documents, and suitability of the applicant. Any application not in the desired format, illegible, incomplete, lacking clear information, or failing to meet eligibility criteria will be summarily rejected.

Documents Required

The application for empanelment of advocates as Panel Counsel must be accompanied by thr following:

Name of the court or tribunal for which empanelment is sought;
A duly signed application in the prescribed format including bio-data, contact details, educational qualifications, professional experience, and Bar Council enrolment number;
Self-attested copies of certificates and testimonials; copies of any prior empanelment orders from other Government Departments, PSUs, statutory bodies, or organisations;
A signed undertaking to abide by the terms and conditions, including the fee structure; and
A declaration that the applicant has not been convicted of any criminal offence (including one involving moral turpitude) and is not disqualified, debarred, or prohibited from practice by any Court, Bar Council, or competent authority.

Disqualification

An advocate will be disqualified for empanelment as Panel Counsel if they suffer from any disqualification prescribed under Section 24A of the Advocates Act, 1961, have faced professional disqualification by the Bar Council, or have previously abused their position as an advocate in a manner detrimental to the interests of the Union of India.

Tenure, Fees, and Performance Review

The tenure of empanelment of advocates as Panel Counsels is for three years, or until further orders, whichever is earlier. Performance of empanelled advocates will be reviewed annually. Professional fees will be admissible to Panel Counsel for the litigation assigned to them, governed by the fee schedule approved by the Department of Legal Affairs, as amended from time to time.

De-empanelment and Resignation

The Central Government may de-empanel an advocate at any time for acting against instructions, failing to return briefs, misappropriation of money (such as court fees or costs), contempt of court, professional misconduct, or conviction by a court of law.

An empanelled advocate may resign by giving at least one month's prior notice in writing to the Central Government. During the notice period, or upon expiry, termination, or non-renewal of empanelment, the advocate must return all original case files, records, documents, briefs, and other property belonging to the Ministry/Department/Organisation, and ensure orderly handover of pending matters within 15 days from the commencement of the notice period, or from the date of expiry, termination, or non-renewal. The one-month notice requirement may be relaxed with the approval of the Competent Authority.

Other Terms and Conditions

An empanelled advocate cannot assign, transfer, or delegate any case, brief, or matter to another advocate without prior written approval of the competent authority. He/she must maintain strict confidentiality of all information and records relating to the Ministry/Department/Organisation. Allocation of cases and briefs is entirely at the discretion of the Department of Legal Affairs, and empanelment does not confer any right or guarantee to a minimum number of assignments. By accepting empanelment, the advocate agrees to abide by all terms and conditions, including any future amendments prescribed by the Central Government.

Implementation

The guidelines for empanelment of advocates are effective from the date of issuance. All previous empanelment of advocates as Panel Counsel notified by the Department of Legal Affairs will continue to remain valid until completion of their respective tenure.