Need effective response to overzealous PILs: Prasad to law officers

Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Sunday told law officers that there must be an effective response to "overzealous" PILs filed during challenging times like the coronavirus-induced lockdown.

Interacting with law officers including Attorney General K K Venugopal and Solicitor General Tushar Mehta via video, Prasad also said that the decision-making process of centre and states on issuing guidelines under the Disaster Management Act needs to be "trusted" as it was arrived on after several rounds of consultations involving the prime minister, the chief ministers and top bureaucrats working in central and state governments.

"The law minister in particular highlighted that during these challenging times overzealous PILs needs to be avoided. Though one cannot stop anyone from filing cases, there must be an effective response to these types of interventions," a law ministry statement said.

At the meet, Solicitor General Mehta explained the nature of cases being filed and the orders being passed by the Supreme Court from time to time, which has upheld the guidelines issued by the government and the action taken.

It was felt that in view of the seriousness of the pandemic, court proceedings through video conferencing may remain a norm for some time to come, the statement said.

Prasad emphasised on taking this challenge as an opportunity to make digital systems in justice delivery more robust.