Indore (Madhya Pradesh): More than four months have passed since the release of the final results of the District Public Prosecution Officer (ADPO) exam-2021, but the candidates selected continue to wait for their appointments. Despite the growing backlog of cases in courts across the state, the government has not provided any assurance regarding these crucial appointments, leaving the candidates frustrated.
The delay comes at a critical time, as prosecution officers play a vital role in representing the government in criminal cases in district courts. The last recruitment drive for these positions occurred in 2017, further exacerbating the need for new appointees. Shockingly, one selected candidate passed away just three days ago, further heightening the candidates' frustrations and concern over the prolonged delay.
Candidates have expressed displeasure, pointing out that appointments are usually made within 60 days of the selection list being released. However, despite twice that amount of time passing, no progress has been made.
"This is a matter of concern," said one candidate. According to government sources, the appointments are delayed due to "technical reasons." However, candidates argue that if the government wished, appointments could be made immediately.
The recruitment process has been marred by delays at every stage. The advertisement for the ADPO examination was issued in June 2021, with the exam originally scheduled for December 2021. However, the exam was pushed back to December 2022 due to multiple extensions in the application process.
The results were declared a month later, on January 4, 2023, but the interviews took over a year to be conducted, eventually taking place from March 3 to April 4, 2024. On April 30, 2024, the final selection list was released, filling 223 of the 256 vacant posts. However, no appointments have been made since.
“As lakhs of cases remain pending in the courts of Madhya Pradesh, the delay in appointing ADPOs is raising serious concerns about the administration of justice in the state. The selected candidates are urging the government to expedite the process and address the technical delays that have prolonged their wait,” said advocate NimishPathak.
