Difference between public interest litigation and private interest litigation
Answers
A PIL is a power given to the public by the court on any issue. A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) can be filed in either any High Court or in the Supreme Court. A PIL can be filed for any matters of the public such as polluted environments, road safety or constructional hazards etc.
Any person can file a Public Interest Litigation not necessary he/she has to be a victim. PIL is litigation introduced in a court of law, not by the aggrieved party but by the court itself or by any other private party. Public Interest Litigation is the power given to protect the public interest by courts.
The court can itself take cognizance of the matter and anticipate suo motu or cases can commence on the petition of any public-spirited individual.
The name Public Interest Litigation has not been defined in the Constitution and is a more common name for a Writ issued by the Supreme Court in an exercise of its original jurisdiction under Article 32 of the Constitution of India. The following describes in detail about the procedure how to file a PIL in Supreme Court of India.