Indian Polity • JudiciaryMedium
Consider the following statements regarding the Public Interest Litigation (PIL) jurisdiction in India: 1. PIL is a relaxation of the traditional rule of locus standi, enabling public-spirited individuals or organizations to approach the court on behalf of marginalized or disadvantaged groups. 2. PIL can be entertained exclusively by the Supreme Court and cannot be initiated in the High Courts under Article 226. 3. Epistolary jurisdiction allows courts to treat letters or postcards addressed by aggrieved citizens as writ petitions. Which of the statements given above are correct?
A. 1 and 3 only✓ Correct Answer
B. 1 and 2 only
C. 2 and 3 only
D. 1, 2 and 3
💡 Solution & Explanation
Statements 1 and 3 are correct. PIL revolutionized access to justice by relaxing locus standi and permitting epistolary petitions. Statement 2 is incorrect because High Courts exercise expansive PIL jurisdiction under Article 226 just as the Supreme Court does under Article 32. PIL originated in the early 1980s through judicial activism championed by justices like P.N. Bhagwati and V.R. Krishna Iyer, making justice accessible to the poor.
More Indian Polity Judiciary questions
- Examine the legal parameters governing the transfer of a judge from the High Court of Chhattisgarh to another…
- Which constitutional body recommends the appointment, transfer, and elevation of judges to the Supreme Court…
- Which writ is issued by a higher court to compel a public authority or government official to perform a…
- Under which Article of the Indian Constitution does the Supreme Court have the power to issue writs such as…
- Which Supreme Court case established the 'Doctrine of Eclipse', stating that existing laws inconsistent with…