In this article you will learn about the Importance of PIL in Political Science.
Importance of PIL
Public Interest Litigation (PIL) is a powerful tool for promoting social justice and ensuring accountability and transparency in governance. The importance of PIL can be highlighted in the following ways :
Access to Justice : Public Interest Litigation (PIL) ensures access to justice for marginalised sections of society who may not have the resources or means to approach the court. It empowers citizens to raise their voice against injustice and promotes accountability among public officials.
Promotes Social Justice : Public Interest Litigation (PIL) is a mechanism to promote social justice by addressing issues such as discrimination, environmental degradation, and violation of fundamental rights. It helps to ensure that the interests of the weaker sections of society are not ignored.
Prevents Abuse of Power : Public Interest Litigation (PIL) acts as a check on the abuse of power by the government or any public authority. It serves as a deterrent to those who may misuse their powers and ensures that they are held accountable for their actions.
There have been cases in which the judges have acted suo moto for providing relief to the general public. Several PIL activists have been using this system for securing relief to lakhs of people. In the process, they have been spreading increasing awareness and knowledge about the Public Interest Litigation system. They have been publishing material on the Public Interest Litigation system and the cases which have been decided under it.
A veteran PIL activist Mr. H. D. Shourie writes in his article : “A Romance with Public Causes” that he has filed no less than 40 PIL cases and obtained relief for lakhs of people. His efforts as well as his work deserves full appreciation. More such efforts are needed to popularise the Public Interest Litigation and help the people to use this system for getting reliefs. Mr. Shourie was in a position to secure relief for the pensioners as well as for the electricity consumers of Delhi. For all the pensioners who were to retire after 1st April, 1979. The writ petition against the Delhi Electricity Supply Undertaking (DESU) which had been sending exorbitant bills to the consumers brought to the notice of the court and the public that the Electricity Act provided for an arbitrator to go into the matter and he could direct changes but for only 6 months and no more. The Delhi High Court give a decision in favour of Mr. Shourie. Such cases and efforts of such activists can go a long way towards the successful operation of the Public Interest Litigation.
Indeed Public Interest Litigation offers increased opportunities for the people to secure the needed relief against acts of commission and omission on the part of the government and other decision-makers. It constitutes a useful and much needed addition to the Indian Judicial System.
This article on Importance of PIL in Political Science is contributed by Dipshikha Anand. If you like LawStudyPoint.com do follow us on our Twitter handle.