Chandigarh, Oct 5 (IANS): Senior advocate Gurminder Singh was on Thursday appointed as the Advocate General (AG) of Punjab, replacing the incumbent Vinod Ghai.

Ghai’s resignation was certain in the wake of “government’s embarrassment” in the Punjab and Haryana High Court with the withdrawal of notifications related to the dissolution of over 13,000 panchayats.

Ghai resigned as the Advocate General, citing “personal reasons”.

Gurminder Singh, whose name got the Cabinet’s nod, is widely known for his extensive expertise in constitutional, service and criminal law.

He’s the third senior advocate appointed to the post since the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) came to power in the state.

Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann called an emergency meeting of the Cabinet on Thursday to discuss the issue of Sutlej Yamuna Link (SYL) canal.

Mann had ordered the suspension of Principal Secretary D.K. Tiwari and Director of Rural Development and Panchayats Gurpreet Khaira after the government had to withdraw orders of dissolution of panchayats. However, Tiwari has been reinstated.