LAHORE: The Punjab government has introduced two important amendment bills in the Punjab Assembly aimed at speeding up the process of filing appeals in criminal cases and strengthening the role of the provincial prosecution service.
The proposed changes seek to transfer the authority to approve criminal appeals from the provincial government to the secretary of the Public Prosecution Department, a move officials say will lead to quicker and more effective legal decisions.
The first bill, The Punjab Criminal Prosecution Service (Constitution, Functions and Powers) (Amendment) Act 2025, proposes a change to clause (ii) of sub-section (6) of Section 13 of the Punjab Criminal Prosecution Service Act, 2006. Under the existing law, the prosecution must seek approval from the government before filing an appeal in a criminal case, even when the Prosecutor General considers an appeal necessary. This process often involves multiple levels of scrutiny and can result in delays that affect the timely administration of justice.
Through the proposed amendment, the government intends to empower the Secretary to the Government, Public Prosecution Department to grant permission for filing appeals on the request of the Prosecutor General. Officials argue that since the prosecution department directly handles criminal cases and is professionally equipped to assess their merits, vesting this authority in the departmental secretary will ensure faster and more informed decisions.
The second bill, titled The Code of Criminal Procedure (Punjab Amendment) Act 2025, seeks to amend sub-section (1) of Section 417 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898. This section governs the filing of appeals against acquittals. At present, when the government wishes to challenge an acquittal passed by a trial court or an appellate court in the High Court, it must first obtain formal approval from the provincial government. The proposed amendment shifts this power to the Secretary of the Public Prosecution Department.
According to the statement of objects and reasons, the change is intended to address procedural delays that may result in the loss of valuable time in filing appeals, particularly in serious criminal cases.
