Section 24 CrPC- "Can Advocates With Less Than 7 Yrs Of Practice Represent State In Criminal Cases?": MP High Court Seeks State's Response

The Madhya Pradesh High Court on Tuesday expressed serious concern on contractually appointed Panel Lawyers without the requisite 7 years of experience representing the State Government in important criminal matters like criminal appeals, suspension of sentences, bail applications, etc.The Bench of Chief Justice Mohammad Rafiq and Justice Vijay Kumar Shukla questioned the State. The Madhya Pradesh High Court on Tuesday expressed serious concern on contractually appointed Panel Lawyers without the requisite 7 years of experience representing the State Government in important criminal matters like criminal appeals, suspension of sentences, bail applications, etc. The Bench of Chief Justice Mohammad Rafiq and Justice Vijay Kumar Shukla questioned the State & Centre: "Whether a Panel Lawyer may appear in the Court before the High Court in criminal matters like Criminal Appeals, Bail Applications, Criminal Revisions, application for suspension of sentence, MCRCs, etc. Section 24 of Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 states: For every High Court, the Central Government or the State Government shall, after consultation with the High Court, appoint a Public Prosecutor and may also appoint one or more Additional Public Prosecutors, for conducting in such Court, any prosecution, appeal, or other proceedings on behalf of the Central Government or State Government, as the case may be.