New amendment to hasten recruitment of prosecutors

Kolkata: In order to make the appointment and empanelment of Public Prosecutors (PP) and Additional Public Prosecutors in the High Court and every district court through a single window, the Code of Criminal Procedure (West Bengal Amendment) Bill 2018 was passed in the state Assembly on Tuesday.

"This will enable the state to fight litigations in the courts in a more effective manner and at the same time, hasten the process of recruitment of PP and additional PP in the High Court and all the district courts. The pattern of crime is witnessing a sea change in the recent times with the rise of cyber crime and minor abuse that comes under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act. Hence, we need to have efficient prosecutors representing the state," state Law minister Moloy Ghatak said while tabling the Bill.

Ghatak further maintained that the Bill needs to have the nod of the President of India before being effective.

"As many as 10 states in the country, including Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh, have already made similar changes in the Code of Criminal Procedure," the

minister added.

A senior official of the department said under the present system, the district magistrate in consultation with the Session Judge prepares a panel of lawyer for PP and additional PP. But often due to transfer of these officials after short tenures, the process gets delayed.

"In the Law department, we have the Legal Remembrancer (LR), who is above the rank of district judge.

This officer in consultation with the state will prepare the panel as per the amendment in the section 24 CrPC under the Code of Criminal Procedure," the official said.