The Delhi Government has appointed Aam Aadmi Party leader Rahul Mehra as Standing Counsel (Criminal) in the High Court.

Mr. Mehra, one of the leading faces of the party on TV channel debates, will now lead a team of public prosecutors in the High Court.

Delhi Law Minister Jitender Singh Tomar told The Hindu that the appointment of public prosecutors has been done in a 'transparent' manner and the most “efficient” persons have been appointed to the post. The department has appointed eight additional standing counsel.

Playing down the fact that Mr. Mehra is an active AAP member, Mr. Tomar said: “The entire procedure has been very transparent. The vacancies for standing counsel, additional standing counsel and additional public prosecutors were duly advertised. We received around 1,750 applications.”

“A select committee interacted with all the applicants and the best people were appointed to these posts,” he added.

Mr. Tomar asserted that it was the first time that appointments to these posts have been done in a transparent manner.

“The previous governments used to appoint whoever they wished to,” he added.