V. Sudhish Pai

V. Sudhish Pai is a Senior Advocate, jurist and acclaimed author specialising in Constitutional Law and Administrative Law. After a Master's degree in Mathematics and a degree in Law, in which he secured the highest marks in the University in Constitutional Law and Administrative Law, he began practice about four decades ago in the chambers of the late Shri S.G. Sundaraswamy, renowned Senior Advocate and former Advocate General of Karnataka. His practice spans civil, constitutional and administrative law. As Government Advocate in the High Court of Karnataka from 1999 to 2006, he handled important and sensitive litigation for the State in the High Court and the Supreme Court, and he has appeared for and advised various institutions.

He assisted Dr. Durga Das Basu in revising his Commentary on the Constitution of India from 1993 until Dr. Basu's passing in 1997. He is a contributor to the Restatement of Indian Law on Legislative Privileges, a project of the Supreme Court, and a primary contributor to Courts of India (2016), published by the Supreme Court of India. He was Visiting Chair Professor, Asutosh Mookerjee Chair, at the West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences, Kolkata, and is a resource person at the National Judicial Academy, Bhopal, for the continuing legal education of judges at all levels, including judges from abroad. The Supreme Court and the High Courts have quoted from his writings.

His books include Legends in Law: Our Great Forebears, Working of the Constitution: Checks and Balances, two volumes on the judicial world of Sir Asutosh Mookerjee, A Judge Nonpareil: a B.K. Mukherjea Reader, Constitutional Supremacy: A Revisit, Justice M.N. Venkatachaliah: The Man & The Judge, Soli Sorabjee: A Great Maestro and 75 Years of the Constitution: Supreme Court's Role in Promoting Constitutionalism (2024). He is the revising editor of V.G. Ramachandran's Law of Writs and of Prof. T.K. Tope's Constitutional Law of India.

In November 2025, Karnataka State Law University conferred on him the Honorary Degree of Doctor of Laws (LL.D., Honoris Causa). His honours include the SKOCH Literature Award, the SKOCH Award for Exemplary Service to Law, the Capital Foundation Prof. Upendra Baxi National Award and the Capital Foundation Advocate General Sri S.G. Sundaraswamy Centenary Award. Chief Justice M.N. Venkatachaliah has described him as a profound legal philosopher in the lineage of great commentators like Seervai and Basu.