Why delay in PPs’ appointment, asks HC

Telangana High Court on Thursday sought to know if six months was not sufficient for the State government to complete the process of appointing Public Prosecutors for all the 570 criminal courts in the State.

A bench of Chief Justice Hima Kohli and Justice B. Vijaysen Reddy observed that on September 22 last the HC had directed the government to finish off the process of appointment of PPs for all courts. And when the matter came up for hearing, the government was again asking for more time to complete the work, the bench noted.

The bench was hearing a PIL plea taken up suo motu by the HC over absence of PPs in all the courts of the State. Such inordinate delay in appointment of PPs would deprive people of justice. The Public Prosecutors were backbone of the administration of criminal justice system, the bench observed.

Entire procedure of trial of criminal cases rests on the assistance extended by the PPs to the courts. Their non-appointment only aggravates the criminal justice system, the bench noted. Taking exception to the government’s failure to finalise appointments of PPs, the bench declined to appreciate the explanations of the Government Pleader for Home Srikanth Reddy on the matter.

The GP informed the court that already the government had finalised appointments of 212 PPs against 414 vacancies. Efforts were on to fill the remaining vacant posts as well, he said. Appointment of 212 PPPs against 414 vacancies “meant again one Public Prosecutor managing two courts as there are 570 criminal courts in Telangana”, the CJ observed.

This would again result in delayed trial and denial of justice to the public, she said. The CJ also expressed serious concern over the post of Director of Prosecutions still lying vacant. The bench noted that the Director of Prosecutions plays key role and that very post was kept vacant. “Why was the DP kept vacant if the process had commenced,” the CJ asked the GP for Home.

Instead of appointing a regular officer, why another officer was given additional charge of that post, the CJ wanted to know from the government. The bench instructed the GP for Home to ensure the Director of Prosecutions post was filled by April 1.