The Bombay High Court, presided over by Acting Chief Justice Nitin Jamdar and Justice Arif Doctor, addressed various Public Interest Litigations (PILs) on Wednesday, urging the petitioners to establish their bona fides and credentials.
During the weekly hearings of PILs, the division bench disposed of two pleas filed by lawyers, questioning their connection to the causes they were representing. The bench suggested that lawyers register themselves with legal aid services if they wished to advocate for social causes and provide pro bono services.
Acting Chief Justice Nitin Jamdar dismissed another PIL as frivolous, stating, "Bring some cause that brings change to society. We are not able to take up other matters due to such litigations."
The court emphasized that the petitioner in a Public Interest Litigation should not have a personal interest in the matter, referring to guidelines set by the Supreme Court.
Furthermore, the high court highlighted its power to remove petitioners, appoint amici curiae, and take suo moto cognizance of media reports. The court stated that it could proceed with a matter without the petitioner if necessary.
In a separate PIL against Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde regarding a Dussehra rally, the petitioner's details were missing, leading the high court to consider dismissing the petition solely based on this deficiency. However, after Advocate Nitin Satpute assured the court of proving bonafide, the bench granted additional time for filing an affidavit.
In all the petitions before the court, there were missing details about the petitioners. The court requested the petitioners to disclose their source of information, source of income, and occupation. The bench warned that if the court was not satisfied with their bonafide, the petitions would be dismissed. The court also criticized the registry for failing to flag the absence of details before listing the cases.
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