New Delhi, Dec 6 (IANS): The Delhi High Court on Tuesday deferred hearing a plea seeking direction to create 73 posts of additional public prosecutors to be posted in Fast-Track Special Courts (FTSCs) functioning in Delhi for the trials of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act and rape matters.

A bench of Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Subramonium Prasad adjourned the matter for hearing on April 10, 2023.

Counsel for the petitioner submitted that they have only 37 prosecutors and what will only 37 prosecutors do in 73 courts?

The plea filed by the Delhi Prosecutors' Welfare Association alleged that a shortage of additional public prosecutors (PPs) is having adverse effects on the criminal justice system.

Filed through lawyers Aditya Kapoor, Manika Goswamy, Harsh Ahuja, Akash Deep Gupta and Kushal Kumar, the plea also sought the court's direction to the government to create the additional PP posts and make subsequent appointments.

"Such a shortage of additional public prosecutors is having adverse effects on the criminal justice system and the whole objective of establishing Fast Track Special courts for the trials of sensitive matters is being defeated by such shortage," stated the plea.