Abhishek Singhvi


Abhishek Manu Singhvi is an Indian lawyer and politician. As politician, he is a member of the Indian National Congress and a current Member of the Parliament of India representing West Bengal in the Rajya Sabha, the Upper House of the Indian Parliament. He is also a spokesperson for the INC. He is one of the senior Advocate of the Supreme Court of India.

Early life

Singhvi was born in a jain family. His father Laxmi Mall Singhvi was a scholar in Jain history and culture. He was a renowned lawyer and India's former High Commissioner to the UK. He was elected to Rajya Sabha. His mother's name is Kamla Singhvi.
He completed his school from St. Columba's School. He obtained B.A., M.A., PhD, PIL educated at St. Stephen's College, Trinity College, Cambridge and Harvard University. Singhvi completed his PhD under constitutional lawyer Sir William Wade of Cambridge University. The topic of his doctoral dissertation at Cambridge University was on Emergency Powers.

Personal life

Singhvi is married to ghazal and Sufi singer Anita Singhvi. They have two sons.

Positions held

Singhvi, at 37, became the youngest Additional Solicitor General of India, in 1997. He held the position for a year, till 1998.
2001 onwards National Spokesperson, Indian National Congress
April 2006 Elected to Rajya Sabha
Aug. 2006 – May 2009 and Aug. 2009 – July 2011 Member, Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances, Law and Justice
Aug. 2006 – Aug. 2007 Member, Joint Committee on Offices of Profit Member, Joint Committee to examine the Constitutional and Legal position relating to Office of Profit Member, Consultative Committee for the Ministry of Urban Development
Sept. 2006 – Sept. 2010 Member, Committee of Privileges
July 2010 onwards Member, Consultative Committee for the Ministry of External Affairs
July 2011 onwards Chairman, Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances, Law and Justice Member, General Purposes Committee.
July 2012 onwards Spokesman Congress Party.

Controversies

A tape allegedly featuring Singhvi with another woman in a compromising position was circulated. He categorically denied any wrongdoing.
In 2014, he was fined 57 crore by the Income Tax Settlement Commission for failing to furnish documents supporting his claims of expenditure for running his office.