‘Don’t evaluate us,we are overworked’

Considering that those accused in 83% criminal offences recorded in the state have been set free,state Law Minister Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil had recently said that district-level committees will be formed under the chairmanship of the collector to evaluate public prosecutors.

“It is unfair to scrutinise the performance of public prosecutors on the basis of number of convictions,as convicting an accused in not solely in the hands of public prosecutors. It also depends on the chargesheet filed by the police,” said advocate Sanjay Pawar,president,Maharashtra Public Prosecutors Association,who practices in the Pune district sessions court. Although a lower court convicts an accused,there is every chance of a higher court acquiting him,said Pawar.

Pawar will meet the director of public prosecution in Mumbai to convey the association’s objections. “It must be noted that,of the 591 posts of public prosecutor sanctioned in the state,only 449,including 46 from Pune,have been filled putting more workload on public prosecutors,” he said.

The Pune Bar Association has extended full support to the public prosecutors. “We agree it is unfair to evaluate the performance of public prosecutors in this manner,” said PBA president Milind Pawar.