Public interest litigation (PIL) allows citizens to seek inexpensive legal remedies for issues that affect the public interest, such as human rights, consumer welfare and the environment. PIL was introduced to ensure implementation of rescue programs for disadvantaged groups and compel the government to perform its duties. However, PIL also faces issues like misuse seeking publicity and irresponsible activists overshadowing genuine public interest cases. The document discusses the merits and demerits of PIL and examines matters it has addressed such as human rights, the environment, and public accountability through cases like the Taj Mahal and Ganga River pollution cases.

1. PUBLIC INTEREST LITIGATION
JOT SINGH
MANAV RACHNA INTERNATIONAL
UNIVERSITY

2. WHAT IS PIL?
 This is a Litigation for the protection of the
public interest .
 Public Interest Litigation (PIL) was a
revolutionary innovation which attempted to
ensure implementation of rescue programs,
framed for the benefit of the needy.
 It also compelled the government and its
authorities to perform their task.

3. FEATURES OF PIL
 Injury to disadvantaged section to whom
justice is not accessible
 Sufficient interest
 Breach of public duty
 Must seek enforcement of such duty

4. MERITS OF PIL
 1. In Public Interest Litigation (PIL) citizens of
the country can find an inexpensive legal
remedy because there is only a nominal fixed
court fee involved in this.
 2. The litigants can focus attention on and
achieve results pertaining to larger public
issues, especially in the fields of human
rights, consumer welfare and environment

5. DEMERITS OF PIL
 1. The genuine causes and cases of public
interest have in fact receded to the
background and irresponsible PIL activists all
over the country have started to play a major
but not a constructive role in the arena of
litigation.
 2. It has also been increasingly felt that PIL is
being misused by the people to grab public
interest and seeking publicity.

6. MATTERS PERTAINING TO PIL
 HUMAN RIGHTS
 ENVIRONMENT
 PUBLIC ACCOUNTABILITY
 ISSUES AND CONTROVERSIES

7. PROTECTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS
 Fake encounter killings by police.
 Rape victims
 Harassment of working women
 Blood Banks – defects in collection , storage
and supply of blood .
 Eg ) PUBLIC PROTEST AGAINST THE
DELAY IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF
ROADS IN JABALPUR.

8. PROTECTION OF ENVIRONMENT
 The areas in which PIL has been significant
is environment law .
 It deal in the closing down of polluting
industries , enforcing pollution standards for
the safety of the workers .
 Eg ) The Taj mahal Case

9. THE TAJ MAHAL CASE

10. PUBLIC ACCOUNTABILITY
 All the ‘Scams’ come under the public
accountability .
 The court had assured that the persons
exercising discretion in public , whether it is
petrol pumps , rivers or government
accommodation are accountable for their
actions.
 Eg ) The pollution of the Holy River Ganga
 Eg ) The River Narmada Case comes under
Controversies and Environment

11. RIVER NARMADA

12. RIVER GANGA

13. EDUCATION OF PUBLIC CONCERNING PIL
 Creating awareness in school/ Collages
regarding matters pertaining to PIL.
 Defining the responsibilities of various public
dept.
 Setting limits for execution of public welfare
projects such as road construction , sewage
pipelines etc .

14. ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION

15. PIL’S LIMITATIONS
 PILs have various limitations which include
petitioners having no legal right to compel the
government to appoint a commission of enquiry.
 CBI enquiries are not possible and only legal
litigation subjected to personal grievances is
allowed.

16. CONCLUSION
 Public interest litigation is a process to put any
public problem in the eyes of law but as it is said
that nothing can be fully good so there are some
good feature as well as bad .
 Public Interest Litigation is the power given to
the public by courts through judicial activism.

17. THANK YOU