Delhi Courts Public Prosecutor Shortage

At 10.30 am on a Monday, a public prosecutor at Delhi’s Rouse Avenue Court was in a rush. Hastily adjusting his black blazer, he dashed into one courtroom, only to come out minutes later.

He slumped into a chair in the corridor, buried his face in his hands, stretched his tired shoulders and let out an exhausted sigh. There was little time to rest. He reached for his diary and scanned the list of cases he had to handle that day.

“Every day is so stressful. There are so many cases and it’s difficult to keep track,” he told The Indian Express.

He is among 292 public prosecutors in Delhi’s courts, several of whom have seen their workload grow following the transfer of 138 judges through a Delhi High Court notification last month and the opening of new courts at Rouse Avenue Court.

Thirteen judges have been posted to Rouse Avenue Court to hear cases under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, National Investigation Agency (NIA) Act, Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act and Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA). Six are Special NIA Judges who will exclusively hear terror cases.

As a result, one PP now handles five courts, up from three, while another has been assigned three instead of one. They must also prepare for cases under unfamiliar special laws.

A total of 29 PPs have been impacted by the transfers.

Data shows that Delhi’s trial courts have only about half the public prosecutors they need.

As of August 2026, there were 32 sanctioned posts for public prosecutors, 210 for additional public prosecutors and 265 for assistant public prosecutors. Of these, only 16, 156 and 120 posts were filled, respectively, including 52 prosecutors working on a contractual basis.

This leaves vacancies of 50%, 25% and 54%, respectively.

Pending criminal cases in Delhi, meanwhile, increased from 13 lakh in mid-2025 to 15 lakh in mid-2026.

About 20,000 criminal cases are listed every day in Delhi’s trial courts. Most Sessions Courts have cause lists of about 20 to 25 cases a day, meaning prosecutors posted in multiple courts are dealing with up to 50 cases a day.

Public prosecutors play a key role in the judicial machinery: They represent the state in serious criminal cases, argue the chargesheet, oppose bail, examine witnesses during trials and respond to applications filed by accused persons.

Explaining his workload, one public prosecutor said, “Judges request that I finish the arguments in their courts. I tell them my difficulty and explain that I have other matters in other courts. They’re shocked, but they agree to my request. Our day is just spent running from one courtroom to another.”

The problem is particularly acute in Sessions Courts, where cases require detailed reading of files. When hearings in different courts clash, prosecutors said they cannot argue either matter effectively and cases are adjourned.

“Handling one court is fine. There are dozens of cases but we know how to tackle them… But in the new courts that we’ve been assigned, we don’t know the details,” said another PP.

A different public prosecutor said sometimes, they are left with little time to prepare for important cases. “We don’t even have time to read through case files sometimes. Once, I just had 20 minutes to understand a high-profile case. I had to argue for police custody,” he said.

“We can’t afford to skip any hearing as the judge will impose a cost on us. Lawyers for the accused persons start complaining if we’re late. On some days, I’m in 8 courts if other PPs are on leave. In neither of them, am I able to argue effectively. The accused persons are benefitting… while years of our hard work goes to waste,” said a PP at Rouse Avenue Court.

“Cases are rising, but our numbers remain the same. How can we be expected to look at multiple courts with serious cases at once? If it goes on like this without vacancies being filled, the whole system will fall,” he added.

The prosecutors said the shortage is also affecting hearings involving victims and witnesses.

“At times, I’m called by three different judges at the same time. In some instances, I’ve had to leave a hearing midway… This impacts the victims and prolongs the hearings,” a PP told The Indian Express.

Another prosecutor said preparing for cases in multiple courts is particularly difficult because of the volume and complexity.

“Some PPs are dealing with 1,000 cases… It takes a long time to scrutinise the police file and anticipate the defence’s arguments. We also have to prepare for examining witnesses… Arguments are happening only for formality’s sake… victims are suffering,” he added.