Court Time Isn’t Free: Gujarat HC Imposes Heavy Cost on PIL Misuse
What Happened
The Gujarat High Court imposed a ₹5 lakh penalty on an RTI activist and self-described social worker for repeatedly filing what the court described as frivolous and groundless Public Interest Litigations (PILs). The latest petition challenged the relocation of a college in Gandhinagar and raised allegations that the court said had already been examined and dismissed earlier. The bench warned that continued misuse of the judicial process would not be tolerated.
Key Takeaways
The ruling sends a strong message against the misuse of PILs, with the court emphasizing that public interest litigation should serve genuine public causes, not be used to repeatedly reopen settled matters. The court even warned that the penalty could be doubled if unnecessary arguments persisted.