HC cautions against PIL mechanism's misuse

Meant to redress genuine public harm or public injury, it says

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CAUTIONING against the use of public interest litigations for private malice, the Delhi High Court has said the attractive brand name of PIL should not be used for “suspicious products of mischief ” but redress of genuine public harm.

A bench headed by Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma, while dismissing a lawyer’s plea against the method of empanelment of advocates to represent the Centre, said PIL was a weapon to secure justice for the voiceless and so the courts must see to it that such a petition is not for personal gain or political motivation or any other oblique consideration.

The bench, also comprising Justice Subramonium Prasad, said the present PIL was “nothing but a Publicity Interest Litigation” and “no public interest” was involved in the plea which was “filed only to upset the apple cart”.