Arvind Kejriwal forms panel to select public prosecutors

NEW DELHI: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal today announced formation of a committee for selection of public prosecutors and government counsels as part of efforts to remove all "political appointees" from various departments.

Addressing a press conference, Kejriwal said this step has been taken to abolish "political" appointments of lawyers in the various government departments.

"Till now all those who were appointed as public prosecutors and assistant public prosecutors, besides government counsels in the High Court and lower courts were political appointees.

"Most of them were either family members or friends of the ruling party. We are abolishing this system," Kejriwal told reporters.

Kejriwal blamed the present lot of lawyers in government departments as one of the main reasons for the government losing court cases, besides low conviction rate.

"The quality of some lawyers was very bad as they could not even speak a single line properly," Kejriwal said adding that the committee's endeavour would be to appoint efficient lawyers.

To make the selection process transparent, Kejriwal said, besides government officials there would be independent members in the committee.

"The government has published advertisements in the papers. The committee would examine all the resumes and select lawyers. We will appoint eligible people," said Kejriwal.

Kejriwal said the government was working towards removing all political appointees from other departments under its purview including governing bodies of colleges.

"Instead of appointing party members in governing bodies of 28 colleges the government has published advertisements for the posts. Earlier, all such members were appointees of Congress," said Kejriwal.