K. P. Dandapani is a practising senior advocate of the High Court of Kerala and ex- Advocate-General of the state. Dandapani was born in Kerala to the late V.K. Padmanabhan and M.K. Narayani. He completed his primary education at St. Albert’s High School, Ernakulam and joined for a degree in St. Albert’s college itself. Soon after completion of his degree, he joined for B.A. LL.B. course in Government Law College, Ernakulam from where he graduated in 1968 and enrolled as an advocate in the same year. He started his practice under the late advocate S Easwara Iyer.
Dandapani has been a part of many challenging episodes. In 1996, he was appointed a judge of the Kerala High Court, but he resigned after five months when he was transferred to the Gujarat High Court. This incident was brought up when he was first appointed as AG by the then CPI (M) government in the state to challenge his appointment. However, the High Court found no merit in the challenge and dismissed the petition.
He was conferred with the designation of ‘Senior Advocate’ in 2006. He represented many companies and establishments, including Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd, Leela Group of Companies, NIT Kozhikode, Greater Cochin Development Authority, Thangal Kunju Musaliar College of Engineering, Kollam, Malabar Christian College, Kozhikode, and KITEX Group of Companies. He was also the president of the Kerala High Court Advocates Association.
At the heart of controversy after his appointment as the AG was the law firm Dandapani Associates, which was at that time run by the AG’s wife Sumathi Dandapani and son Millu Dandapani. His wife Sumathi Dandapani is a practising Senior Advocate of the High Court of Kerala. The husband and wife created history as they are the first couple in the country to be conferred the position of ‘Senior Advocates’ on the same day. His daughter Mittu Manoj also a practising lawyer, practises in Sydney, Australia.
In 2015 two complaints were filed against Dandapani for conflict of interest wherein it was alleged that during the four years of his office as the AG, Dandapani Associates has argued 270 cases against the AG’s office and in many cases, government pleaders have deliberately presented a weak version in court.
Moreover, another complaint was lodged with the Kerala High Court by the Communist Party of India (Marxist) MLA V Sivankutty who sought action against the AG for allegedly carrying on a private practice while holding a constitutional office. The complaint listed many other allegations of professional, ethical impropriety, and possible illegalities.
A complaint was also filed before the Bar Council of Kerala by Advocate JS Ajith Kumar. It was alleged in the complaint that Dandapani associates were legal advisers to several bar owners’ cases when the latter were fighting the state’s policy on prohibition. The complaint, further, stated that the cases that were being run by Dandapani for United Distilleries since 2002 were being run by his wife Sumathy Dandapani for Dandapani Associates after he held the office of AG. Similarly, other Dandapani’s cases since 2002 such as that of Baneerji Memorial Club at Swaraj Round in Thrissur and case over encroachment of government land in Thrissur worth Rs100 were being conducted by the Dandapani Associates with the government on the opposing side.
Only a few months after Dandapani took charge, he took a position that was different from that of the government over the safety of the Mullaperiyar dam. Further, the complaint also raised an eyebrow towards Millu Dandapani being appointed as the legal advisor for 34 institutions, both government and private after the AG assumed office in 2011.
Dandapani tendered his resignation after the resignation of Chief Minister Oommen Chandy in 2015, he was succeeded by Senior Advocate C P. Sudhakara Prasad. Currently, he is back to managing Dandapani Associates along with his wife and son. Dandapani Associates is a full-service law firm that was established by Senior Advocate K P Dandapani and his wife Senior Advocate Sumathi Dandapani. e firm has an extensive practice in various courts and tribunals including the High Court of Kerala, The Kerala Administrative Tribunal, The Central Administrative Tribunal, Debt Recovery tribunal, National Company Law Tribunal, Consumer Dispute Redressal Forum, Central Government Industrial Tribunal etc. The firm also practices in all Subordinate courts in the state including District courts, The Munsiff and Magistrate court.
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