On Tuesday, the Delhi High Court took a significant step by establishing a monitoring committee to regularly assess the recruitment and need for public prosecutors and additional public prosecutors in Delhi's trial courts. The Division Bench, consisting of Acting Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Mini Pushkarna, outlined the committee's composition, which includes key officials from the Delhi government's Home, Law and Justice, and Finance departments, along with the Director of the Directorate of Prosecution, Senior Advocate Rajiv K Virmani (amicus curiae), and a representative from the Delhi High Court.

The primary responsibility of the committee is to conduct periodic reviews of the prosecutor requirements in trial courts and offer recommendations to the Delhi government regarding any existing vacancies. Furthermore, the committee is expected to submit a comprehensive report to the Delhi High Court in February, coinciding with the next scheduled hearing on the matter.

The court's decision stems from a series of petitions addressing concerns related to the recruitment, appointment, and functioning of public prosecutors in the national capital. Notably, one of these petitions is a suo motu case initiated by the High Court, which has been pending since 2009.

During the proceedings, Acting Chief Justice Manmohan emphasized the urgent need for additional prosecutors, citing a backlog of cases in trial courts and judges facing delays due to prosecutors being shared across multiple courts. Senior Advocate Virmani, acting as amicus curiae, informed the court that despite previous directives, there is currently no established system to ensure a sufficient number of prosecutors. He advocated for a proactive approach, suggesting that whenever the number of courts is expanded, corresponding proposals should be submitted promptly to increase the number of public prosecutors, ensuring timely appointments.