Work of SC, HCs not to rule through PIL: Law minister

The work of the Supreme Court and high courts is not to rule through PIL as that right is given by the Constitution to elected representatives, Law Minister Ravi Shakar Prasad said today.

He said in Lok Sabha that the government was in support of filing of Public Interests Litigations (PILs) in favour of the poor and labourers against corruption by politicians and in several big corruption cases in which politicians are getting convicted now.

He said that he himself was a lawyer for petitioners filing PILs.

"I would like to state humbly that right to rule is for only those who are elected by the people and answerable to the House (Parliament). The right to enact laws is with those who are voted by the people and answerable to the House.

"I would like to humbly state that the work of high courts or the Supreme Court is not to rule through PIL. This right is given by the Constitution to elected representatives," he said during Question Hour.

Replying to a question about the transfer of a judge, who was hearing cases related to 1984 anti-Sikh riots, the law minister said the government cannot interfere on a decision taken by the Supreme Court collegium.

However, he said, he will try to ensure that all anti-Sikh riot cases are expedited so that victims get justice.

"It is a matter of concern for the whole country that Sikhs should get justice. The Narendra Modi government government is committed to provide justice to the Sikh community and hence it formed a Special Investigation Team immediately after taking charge," he said.

Prasad also said the Narendra Modi-led government has scrapped 1,400 obsolete laws in the last four years and state governments are to be impressed upon to scrap obsolete laws.