MEANING OF PIL‌

The introduction of PIL in India was facilitated by the relaxation of the traditional rule of 'locus standi’. According to this rule, only that person whose rights are infringed alone can move the court for the remedies, whereas, the PIL is an exception to this traditional rule. Under the PIL, any public-spirited citizen or a social organisation can move the court for the enforcement of the rights of any person or group of persons who because of their poverty or ignorance or socially or economically disadvantaged position are themselves unable to approach the court for the remedies. Thus, in a PIL, any member of the public having 'sufficient interest’ can approach the court for enforcing the rights of other persons and redressal of a common grievance.

The Supreme Court has defined the PIL as "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 have pecuniary interest or some interest by which their legal rights or liabilities are affected.”2

PIL is absolutely necessary for maintaining the rule of law, furthering the cause of justice and accelerating the pace of realisation of the constitutional objectives. In other words, the real purposes of PIL are:

(i) vindication of the rule of law,

(ii) facilitating effective access to justice to the socially and economically weaker sections of the society, and

(iii) meaningful realisation of the fundamental rights.