CBSE Class 8 Answered

In the early 1980s, the Supreme Court introduced Public Interest Litigation (PIL). It is included in Article 32 of the Indian Constitution and contains a tool which directly joins the public with the judiciary.

• It was done to increase access to justice.
• It allowed any individual or organisation to file a PIL in the High Court or the Supreme Court on behalf of those whose rights were being violated.
• The legal process was greatly simplified and even a letter addressed to the Supreme Court or High Court could be treated as a PIL.

Example: A PIL was used to secure justice on a large number of issues such as rescuing bonded labourers from inhuman work conditions.