Top Indian lawyers are stumped by Veerappa Moily’s appointment as Minister of Law and Justice, which was announced late last night defying all observers’ expectations.

Moily (pictured) is a seasoned Congress politician and practicing lawyer in Bangalore but unlike the candidates expected to be shoo-ins for the job, he is an unknown quantity.

One top Mumbai lawyer said: “I have no idea what this will do to things.”

“It is a real surprise,” added another Delhi partner. “Now it’s very hard to tell what will happen. I know reforms will be on the agenda but I don’t know how quickly. I think there will have to be renewed lobbying.”