Tue Apr 22 12:51:52 UTC 2025: ## Kerala High Court Mandates Primacy of District Judge Opinion in Public Prosecutor Appointments
**Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala – April 22, 2025** – The Kerala High Court has ruled that the state government must prioritize the opinions of district judges when appointing public prosecutors. In a recent decision closing a suo motu case, the Division Bench, comprising Chief Justice Nithin Jamdar and Justice Ziyad Rahaman A.A., directed the government to establish internal guidelines ensuring this primacy.
The court’s order stems from Section 18 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, which outlines the consultative process for such appointments. The judges noted a lack of direct interaction between sessions judges and district magistrates in the current system, where the government appoints prosecutors from a panel provided by the district magistrate.
The Kerala government has agreed to create a protocol to expedite the filling of public prosecutor vacancies and to consider approving new prosecutor positions concurrently with the establishment of new courts. This ruling aims to streamline the appointment process and ensure the opinions of district judges, who possess valuable insights into local legal needs, are given due weight.
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