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Public Interest Litigation
Relaxed Locus Standi, Social Justice & Judicial Access
PART I — THE REVOLUTION OF ACCESS
EPISTOLARY JURISDICTION
The Origin
- Originated in the USA, introduced in India in the early 1980s by **Justice V.R. Krishna Iyer and Justice P.N. Bhagwati**.
- The SC innovated "Epistolary Jurisdiction," allowing **telegrams, postcards, and letters** addressed to the court to be treated as formal writ petitions.
- It dispensed with the expensive, procedural technicalities of traditional litigation to make justice accessible to the poorest.
LOCUS STANDI RELAXED
Bridging the Gap
- **Traditional Rule:** Only the person whose rights are infringed can move the court (*Locus Standi*).
- **The PIL Exception:** The SC relaxed this rule. Now, **any public-spirited citizen or organization** can approach the court on behalf of those who cannot (due to poverty, ignorance, or social/economic disadvantage).
- It shifts the focus from individual rights to the enforcement of constitutional obligations toward marginalized groups.
PART II — IMPACT & SAFEGUARDS
THE SCOPE
Social Justice in Action
- PIL has been weaponized to secure massive social reforms and protect vulnerable populations.
- **Key areas of intervention:** Abolishing bonded labor, releasing undertrials kept in prison longer than their maximum possible sentence, prison reforms, and preventing police atrocities.
- It is also the primary tool used for **environmental protection** (e.g., M.C. Mehta cases against vehicular pollution and industrial effluents).
PRIVATE INTEREST LITIGATION
Misuse & Guidelines
- PIL is often misused by individuals seeking publicity, or as "Private Interest Litigation" to settle political or corporate scores.
- The SC laid down strict guidelines to prevent abuse: PILs must aim at redressal of genuine public harm, not personal gain or political malice.
- The court can impose **heavy exemplary costs** on frivolous petitioners to deter the abuse of the judicial process.