The High Court in Kerala sought a report of the district court registrar of the Supreme Court regarding the pendant of criminal proceedings in the state for the delay in the appointment of scientific officials and other employees in forensic scientific laboratories.
The bench consisting of the chief judge Nitin Jamdar and the Justice C. Jayacandran issued an order and considered a petition filed by Keral State Legal Services Authority (Kelsa), which sought the State Government and Keral Public Service Commission (KPSC) to obtain a reasonable number of scientific assistants in forensic laboratory. Kelsa claimed that vacancies and inability to appoint scientific assistants in laboratories had adversely affected the performance of experiments, especially in the protection of children from sexual offenses (POCO) and narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances (NDP).
Kelsa also referred to the delay in the appointment of special prosecutors in the POCSO courts. PSC advisor said that there were procedural requirements and inherent time in the appointment.
The Court, which states that continuing inactivity would affect the system of criminal judiciary, ordered the government and PSC to coordinate and ensure that vacancies would be occupied without delay.
Published – 3 July 2025 9:13
