SC highlights shortage of public prosecutors in courts, asks state govts to fill vacancies

The Supreme Court on Friday flagged the shortage of public prosecutors in courts and asked the state governments to fill vacancies.

A bench of Justices B V Nagarathna and Ujjal Bhuyan said that the delay in criminal justice is due to paucity of public prosecutors.

''The States are not doing anything and simply saying 'delay in criminal justice, delay in criminal justice'. Where does the problem lie?.

''Why is the Directorate of Prosecution in each state not attending to all this? You are not conducting the prosecution exams on time. There are people waiting to be appointed,'' the bench said.

The top court remarked that the state governments must give their attention to all this.

''We see they make statements, 'there is delay, delay, delay in criminal justice dispensation in the country'. Where does the problem come from?'' she said.

The apex court said the judiciary can suggest measures on the appointment of public prosecutors but implementation rests with the governments.

''You ask us, we will give you the suggestions. Will you implement it? That is the point. Please, all of you State Counsels, advise your governments to appoint prosecutors, PPs in court halls,'' Justice Nagarathna remarked.

''All of you appearing as State Counsel, please bring it to the Law Minister, Advocate General, Director of Prosecution and in the summer holidays, please use this time for all this, you see effective suggestions to be implemented,'' she said.

The observations from the bench came while granting bail to an accused arrested under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.

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