Delhi High Court Stays Engagement Of Retired Public Prosecutors As APPs
The Petition before the Delhi High Court was filed by an Advocate challenging an Advertisement issued by the Director of Prosecution, GNCTD, for engagement of Public Prosecutors on a contractual basis.
Justice Sachin Datta, Delhi High Court
The Delhi High Court has ordered the advertisement issued for the engagement of retired Public Prosecutors as APPs to be kept in abeyance till the Principal Secretary (Home) decides on the representation challenging the same.
The Petition before the High Court was filed by an Advocate challenging an Advertisement No. F-2(1001)/DOP/ Admin./Pt. File/2025 dated August 22, 2025 issued by the Director of Prosecution, GNCTD for engagement of Public Prosecutors on contractual basis.
The Single Bench of Justice Sachin Datta ordered, “In the meantime, the respondent no.3 (Principal Secretary, Home, GNCTD) is directed to expeditiously decide the representation dated 22.08.2025 (Annexure-P6) after affording an opportunity of hearing to the petitioner. Till the same is done by way of a reasoned order, the recruitment process pursuant to the impugned advertisement shall be kept in abeyance.”
Senior Advocate Mohit Mathur represented the Petitioner while Standing Counsel Avnish Ahlawat represented the Respondent.
Arguments
It was the petitioner’s case that inviting applications only from retired Public Prosecutors for appointment of 196 posts of APP was in gross violation and in complete disregard of the settled position of law and the past practice. It was pointed out that a representation submitted by the petitioner to the concerned authorities was not considered and the respondents were proceeding with the recruitment process.
Reasoning
Issuing notice, the Bench directed the Principal Secretary, Home, GNCTD, to expeditiously decide the representation after affording an opportunity of hearing to the petitioner.
The Bench further ordered that the recruitment process pursuant to the impugned advertisement shall be kept in abeyance till the representation is decided.
Cause Title: Vikas Verma v. Director of Prosecution (Case No.: W.P.(C) 13408/2025)
Appearance
Petitioner: Senior Advocate Mohit Mathur, Advocates Amit Saxena, Vignesh Ramanathan, Sanit Singh, Prachi Gupta, Nitikaa Gupta, Petitioner-In Person
Respondent: Standing Counsel Avnish Ahlawat, Advocates Aliza Alam, Mohnish Sehrawat, Amol Rana, Ravinder Agarwal, Manish Kumar Singh, Vasu Agarwal, Central Government Standing Counsel Rohal Jaitley, Dev Pratap Singh, Varun Pratap Singh, Yogya