Bangalore: Karnataka Governor H R Bhardwaj has appointed S Vijay Shankar as the new Advocate General of the state.

Bhardwaj issued an order in this regard late last night following a recommendation by Chief Minister D V Sadanada Gowda, a Raj Bhavan release said.

Shankar’s appointment was necessitated after B V Acharya resigned on Thursday as Advocate General citing alleged pressure from the state government to relinquish his assignment as Special Public Prosecutor in the disproportionate assets case against Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa.

Shankar, son of former Karnataka High Court Chief Justice M Sadasivayya, had earlier also served as Advocate General from June 1996 to October 1999.

Shankar represented Karnataka in the Supreme Court, River Water Dispute Tribunals and other important legal assignments, the release said.