New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday expressed concern over the growing misuse of Public Interest Litigations (PILs), remarking that many are now being filed for “private interest, publicity, paisa and political motives” rather than genuine public causes.
The observation was made by a nine-judge Constitution Bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant during the hearing of petitions related to discrimination against women at religious places, including the Sabarimala temple, and the broader scope of religious freedom.
The Bench questioned the basis of a 2006 PIL filed by the Indian Young Lawyers Association challenging the restriction on entry of women aged 10 to 50 at the Sabarimala temple. The petition was reportedly based on newspaper articles.
“How does this article give the cause of action to file a PIL? It is easy to get articles written for the sake of filing PILs,” the court remarked, indicating that such pleas should not be entertained without substantial grounds.
Justice B V Nagarathna further said that while courts have historically entertained PILs to serve the public, the trend of filing them based on media reports or for vested interests is concerning.
“Public Interest Litigation has now become Private Interest Litigation, Publicity Interest Litigation, Paisa Interest Litigation and Political Interest Litigation,” she observed, adding that only genuine cases should be considered.
The court also noted the increasing volume of petitions and communications received daily, raising concerns about indiscriminate conversion of such inputs into PILs.
The hearing is ongoing as the Bench continues to examine key constitutional questions around religious freedom and equality. The Sabarimala issue remains central to the debate, with the court revisiting its implications after the 2018 judgment that allowed entry of women of all age groups into the temple.
