New Delhi: N M Ghatate today (July 27, 2004) resigned as the Vice-Chairman of the Law Commission following change in the Government at the Centre.

Ghatate submitted his resignation to chairman of the Law Commission Justice M Jagannadha Rao.

"I hereby send my resignation as Vice Chairman of Law Commission," he said in a one-line resignation letter. Ghatate's tenure as Vice-Chairman was for three years from September 2003.

Sources said, Ghatate, who was appointed as the Vice-Chairman of the 17th Law Commission, resigned in the wake of reports that Law Minister H R Bharadwaj did not favour continuation of persons appointed by the previous NDA (National Democratic Alliance) Government.

Asked about the decision to step down from the post of Vice Chairman of Law Commission, Ghatate told, "I am not interested in holding a position where I am not desired." "I would rather work where I am wanted," he said.

Ghatate, a well-known Supreme Court lawyer, had defended the detenues during the emergency, including former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and senior BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) leader L K Advani.