The Delhi High Court Friday sought Delhi Lieutenant Governor's reply on a plea by the AAP government challenging the decision to allow police chosen lawyers as special public prosecutors (SPP) for cases related to this year's Republic Day violence and last year's riots.
A bench of Chief Justice D N Patel and Justice Jyoti Singh issued notice and asked the LG to file response to the petition as well as an application seeking stay on the decision.
The court listed the matter for further hearing on October 21.
The Delhi government, represented through senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi and Rahul Mehra, has challenged the LG's decision allowing Delhi Police chosen lawyers as SPPs to appear and conduct prosecution in cases relating to violence on January 26, 2021 during the farmers' agitation and north-east Delhi riots cases of February 2020.
It said these SPPs have been chosen by the Delhi Police and thus have a serious conflict of interest.
"SPPs appointed by us are independent persons. You can't have SPPs which are part of the investigating arm, that is, Delhi Police," Singhvi argued.
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Published 27 August 2021, 09:05 IST