Public Interest Litigation(PIL) - Indian Laws - General

Public Interest Litigation(PIL) Public Interest Litigation has been defined in the Black s Law Dictionary (6th Edition) as under:- Public Interest - Something in which the public, the community at large, has some pecuniary interest, or some interest by which their legal rights or liabilities are affected. It does not mean anything so narrow as mere curiosity, or as the interests of the particular localities, which may be affected by the matters in question. Interest shared by citizens generally in affairs of local, state or national government.... Advanced Law Lexicon has defined Public Interest Litigation as under:- The expression PIL means a legal action initiated in a Court of law for the enforcement of public interest or general interest in which the public or a class of the community has pecuniary interest or some interest by which their legal rights or liabilities are affected. The Council for Public Interest Law set up by the Ford Foundation in USA defined public interest litigation in its report of Public Interest Law , USA, 1976 as follows: Public Interest Law is the name that has recently been given to efforts provide legal representation to previously unrepresented groups and interests. Such efforts have been undertaken in the recognition that ordinary market place for legal services fails to provide such services to significant segments of the population and to significant interests. Such groups and interests include the proper environmentalists, consumers, racial and ethnic minorities and others. (M/s Holicow Pictures Pvt. Ltd. v. Prem Chandra Mishra Ors. 2007 (12) TMI 445 - SUPREME COURT ). STATE OF UTTARANCHAL VERSUS BALWANT SINGH CHAUFAL OTHERS - 2010 (1) TMI 1095 - SUPREME COURT The Public interest litigation is a cooperative or collaborative effort by the petitioner, the State of public authority and the judiciary to secure observance of constitutional or basic human rights, benefits and privileges upon poor, downtrodden and vulnerable sections of the society . People s Union for Democratic Rights Others v. Union of India Others - 1982 (9) TMI 242 - SUPREME COURT