Public Prosecutors
Section 24 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 deals with public Prosecutors. For every High Court, the Central Government or the State Government shall, after consultation with the High Court, appoint a Public Prosecutor and may also appoint one or more Additional Public Prosecutors, for conducting in such Court, any prosecution, appeal or other proceeding on behalf of the C The Act came into force on 01 Apr 1974. Repealed by section 531 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (46 of 2023) with effect from 1 July 2024, but conduct before that date is still charged, tried and appealed under it.
(1) For every High Court, the Central Government or the State Government shall, after consultation with the High Court, appoint a Public Prosecutor and may also appoint one or more Additional Public Prosecutors, for conducting in such Court, any prosecution, appeal or other proceeding on behalf of the Central Government or State Government, as the case may be.
(2) The Central Government may appoint one or more Public Prosecutors for the purpose of conducting any case or class of cases in any district or local area.
(3) For every district, the State Government shall appoint a Public Prosecutor and may also appoint one or more Additional Public Prosecutors for the district:
Provided that the Public Prosecutor or Additional Public Prosecutor appointed for one district may be appointed also to be a
Public Prosecutor or an Additional Public Prosecutor, as the case may be, for another district.
(4) The District Magistrate shall, in consultation with the Sessions Judge, prepare a panel of names of persons, who are, in his opinion fit to be appointed as Public Prosecutors or Additional Public Prosecutors for the district.
(5) No person shall be appointed by the State Government as the Public Prosecutor or Additional Public Prosecutor for the district unless
1 Subs. by Act 45 of 1978, s. 8, for s. 24 (w.e.f. 18-12-1978).
his name appears in the panel of names prepared by the District Magistrate under sub-section (4).
(6) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (5), where in a State there exists a regular Cadre of Prosecuting Officers, the State Government shall appoint a Public Prosecutor or an Additional Public Prosecutor only from among the persons constituting such Cadre:
Provided that where, in the opinion of the State Government, no suitable person is available in such Cadre for such appointment that Government may appoint a person as Public Prosecutor or Additional Public Prosecutor, as the case may be, from the panel of names prepared by the District Magistrate under sub-section (4).
(7) A person shall be eligible to be appointed as a Public Prosecutor or an Additional Public Prosecutor under sub-section (1) or sub-section (2) or sub-section (3) or sub-section (6), only if he has been in practice as an advocate for not less than seven years.
(8) The Central Government or the State Government may appoint, for the purposes of any case or class of cases, a person who has been in practice as an advocate for not less than ten years as a Special Public Prosecutor.
(9) For the purposes of sub-section (7) and sub-section (8), the period during which a person has been in practice as a pleader, or has rendered (whether before or after the commencement of this Code) service as a Public Prosecutor or as an Additional Public Prosecutor or Assistant Public Prosecutor or other Prosecuting Officer, by whatever name called, shall be deemed to be the period during which such person has been in practice as an advocate.]
Section 24, The Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (Act 2 of 1974).
Now in the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita
BNSS 18 Public Prosecutors Text carried over almost unchanged 94%
Measured by comparing the text of the two provisions, not taken from an official correspondence table — there is no machine-readable one. See both texts side by side before relying on it.
Both regimes are live. The repealed enactment still governs what happened while it was in force. We never redirect one to the other.
Cross-references
Extracted from the operative text of the enactments themselves. Every destination below exists in our corpus.
Referred to by 1
Related judgements & precedents
These are some judgments that construed this section, and hold precedence value. They hold authority on how to read, interpret and use this section.
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Margadarsi Financiers vs The State of Andhra Pradesh
Court's Decision & Legal Precedent
A designated Senior Advocate cannot be appointed as a Special Public Prosecutor under Section 24(8) of the Criminal Procedure Code, 1973, because such appointment would require the Senior Advocate to directly file applications and conduct prosecutions, which violates the mandatory restrictions imposed on Senior Advocates under the Rules framed under the Advocates Act, 1961. Additionally, while the procedure prescribed under Sub-sections 4 and 5 of Section 24 CrPC (panel preparation and consultation) is not mandatory for Special Public Prosecutor appointments under Sub-section 8, the restrictions on Senior Advocates' practice are absolute and cannot be circumvented by government appointment.
On this section: Comprehensive analysis of the statutory framework for appointment of Public Prosecutors, Additional Public Prosecutors, and Special Public Prosecutors; distinction between mandatory consultation/panel procedures for district appointments versus discretionary appointment of Special Public Prosecutors
The holding above is the ratio decidendi as extracted from the judgment by eCourts India, reproduced unaltered — it is a rendering of the court's reasoning, not a substitute for its words. Read the order itself before relying on it.
Judgments citing this section
These may be obiter dicta or a precedent, for you to study. These are the judgments where this section is quoted.
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… (2 of 1974) and the provisions of that Code shall have effect accordingly." The provision of Section 2(u) of the Code of Criminal Procedure is also set out: "2(u) "Public Prosecutor" means any person appointed under section 24, and includes any person acting under the directions of a Public Prosecutor;" Section 24 of the Code of Criminal Procedure is also set out: "24. Public Prosecutors. (1) For every High Court, the Central Government or the State Government shall, after consultation with the High Court, appoint a Public Prosecutor and may also appoint one or more Additional Public Prosecutors, for conducting in such …
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… From the list forwarded by 3 rd respondent, the 2 nd respondent prepared a panel for consideration of Government for appointment to the post of Additional District Government Pleaders/Additional Public Prosecutors. 7. According to the 2 nd respondent, the mandatory requirement as per Section 24 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (hereinafter referred to as 'the -: 6 :- Cr.P.C.) and Rule 8 of the Rules were complied with and it was only thereafter appointments were made as per Ext.R2(a) order, after real consultation with the District and Sessions Judge. It is stated that the 2 nd …
Questions about Section 24
What have the courts held on Section 24 of the Code of Criminal Procedure?
Margadarsi Financiers vs The State of Andhra Pradesh (20 Mar 2009) is the leading judgment on this section among those set out below: Comprehensive analysis of the statutory framework for appointment of Public Prosecutors, Additional Public Prosecutors, and Special Public Prosecutors; distinction between mandatory consultation/panel procedures for district appointments versus discretionary appointment of Special Public Prosecutors.
How do I find court cases under Section 24 of the Code of Criminal Procedure?
In judgments and charge sheets this section is written several ways, and each form finds a different set of orders. These search the full text of every order eCourtsIndia holds, best matches first: CRPC 24, section 24 CRPC, section 24 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. Each opens the full list of orders on eCourtsIndia, where it can be narrowed by court, year and outcome. 1 reported judgment on this section is set out on this page, beginning with Margadarsi Financiers vs The State of Andhra Pradesh (20 Mar 2009).
What should I read with Section 24 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, and has it changed?
1 other provision in this corpus refers back to it. For anything done on or after 1 July 2024 the provision to read is BNSS 18 (Public Prosecutors), which replaced it; conduct before that date is still charged, tried and appealed under this section.
When did Section 24 of the Code of Criminal Procedure come into force?
Section 24 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, cited as CRPC 24, came into force on 01 Apr 1974, having been enacted on 25 Jan 1974. It is no longer in force.
Other sections of this Act
- 320. Compounding of offences1554 words
- 167. Procedure when investigation cannot be completed in twenty four hours1005 words
- 220. Trial for more than one offence962 words
- 360. Order to release on probation of good conduct or after admonition804 words
- 2. Definitions799 words
- 198. Prosecution for offences against marriage774 words
Source and method. Compiled from the enactments of Parliament and of the State legislatures as published on India Code, and republished together with commentary and other original matter under section 52(1)(q)(ii) of the Copyright Act, 1957. Structured, cross-referenced and maintained by eCourtsIndia. Recovered from the consolidated text published by India Code (item 330a1099-77ad-4a2e-b22a-769b33398f9e). This page is not a substitute for legal advice.