Delhi HC directs UPSC, govt to complete assistant public prosecutors recruitment expeditiously

Delhi High Court on Friday asked city government and Union Public Service Commission to ensure that process of recruitment of prosecutors in courts is concluded expeditiously. A bench of Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Sachin Datta asked authorities to report compliance of direction on May 9.

" state government and UPSC (Union Public Service Commission) are directed to ensure that process of recruitment is concluded as early as possible," bench said, ding that appointment letters shall be issued to those selected.

high court was hearing a batch of petitions, including a suo motu case (a matter initiated on its own), concerning issues related to recruitment, appointment and working of public prosecutors in city.

vocate Ashish Dixit, representing one of petitioners, submitted that result of recruiting assistant public prosecutors was declared on March 13. However, appointment orders were t issued yet.

court furr directed UPSC to take appropriate steps for appointing chief public prosecutors and report progress on next date of hearing.

It listed matter for furr hearing on May 9.

UPSC earlier told high court that it h t received any fresh proposal from Delhi government for filling posts of prosecutors in courts here and a statement me by state about it was "incorrect" and "inappropriate".

UPSC's statement was me in an affidavit in response to Delhi government's submission before court on January 17 that a fresh requisition h been sent to commission for filling up 108 vacant public prosecutors' posts.

Earlier, one of petitioners' counsel claimed re are so many vacancies for post of prosecutors despite continuous orders of court.

Delhi government's counsel h said recruitment is an ongoing process and steps are being taken to fill vacancies.

In January, high court granted a final opportunity of four weeks to AAP government to expedite process of filling vacant posts of public prosecutors and observed that huge backlog of cases in criminal justice system can be remedied only if se vacancies are filled at earliest.

amicus curiae appointed by court to assist it h said that as many as 108 courts in Delhi are n-functional for want of public prosecutors.

vocate Kushal Kumar, appearing for petitioner Delhi Prosecutors' Welfare Association, said situation is such that one public prosecutor is handling almost three to four courts, bringing entire criminal justice system to a standstill.

Last July, high court h asked Delhi government to file a status report in respect of vacancies and steps taken to fill those. PTI SKV SZM