Out of sanctioned posts of 120 for additional public prosecutors, a total of 47, besides 8 posts for chief public prosecutor, are lying vacant in various trial courts in the city, Delhi government informed the High Court on Wednesday.

Filing a detailed report about the number of vacancies of the prosecutors, the government counsel Najmi Waziri also told the Division Bench of Acting Chief Justice Madan B Lokur and Justice Mukta Gupta that the post of Director of Prosecutors and Chief Prosecutors is also vacant but that will be filled by May.

In the report, the government said there are 95 Metropolitan Magistrate Courts and 73 Sessions Courts.

Government admitted that some times one prosecutor has to handle the cases of more than one court simultaneously.

According to the report, UPSC has recommended 11 names in March to fill the vacancies in the posts of Additional Public Prosecutors.

Meanwhile, the Bench asked the government to file another affidavit giving details about the working conditions of the prosecutors.

The direction came after the Association of Public Prosecutors filed an application and pointed out that due to bad working conditions, many prosecutors had quit the job.

The petitioner association sought a direction to the NCT government to improve their working conditions including strengthening of the infrastructure.

Last year, the Delhi High Court had taken suo motu cognizance on receipt of a letter written by some under trials, lodged in Tihar jail, that due to delay in trial process some accused have to spend more time in jail than the prescribed sentence for the offences under the law.

During the course of hearing, it came to the court's notice that due to less number of prosecutors in various courts the trial takes more than expected time to complete.