Judiciary guarding against attempts to misuse PILs: Kovind

President Ram Nath Kovind Friday said the judiciary is guarding against attempts by people with vested interests to misuse public interest litigations (PILs) so as to obstruct legitimate decision making.

He also expressed concern over "frequent adjournments often sought only to delay cases" which causes inconvenience in form of "justice tax on poor and less well of litigants".

Speaking at the release of a Festschrift "Law, Justice and Judicial Power: Justice P N Bhagwati's Approach", Kovind said PIL tradition is an Indian contribution to the practice of law and process of justice delivery and for this "we owe Justice Bhagwati a degree of gratitude".

He said it is not without reason that Justice Bhagwati, who was the chief justice of India from July 12, 1985 to December 20, 1986, is called the father of public interest litigation in India.

The President said the idealism and simplicity of the highest court in the country responding to even a petition filed on a postcard is worthy of appreciation.

"This practice had far reaching implications. It unshackled the courts from the narrow definition of locus standi and allowed a friend of affected person or any other concerned individual or institution to approach the court on behalf of citizen who has been denied justice," he said.

Though Kovind expressed concern over the misuse of PIL by people of vested interests, he said attempts have been guarded by the judiciary.

"There are occasions when PIL professionals may misuse such provisions for their vested ends or to obstruct legitimate decision making. I am happy that the judiciary is guarding against such attempts," he said.

He said that Justice Bhagwati strived to expand the concept of justice and make justice that much more accessible to common people and belonged to a generation of eminent jurists who reconceived and reimagined the role of the judiciary in a developing democracy such as India.

Kovind spoke after Attorney General K K Venugopal also expressed concern over misuse of PILs and said "public interest litigation was brought as a weapon for the poor for unfortunately today it is being used by the rich and powerful and also often they set up who are proxy for the purpose of getting benefits."