Dismissal of Public Interest Litigation on Legal Aid Clinics Due to Vague and Generalized Claims.


15 January 2024 Public Interest Litigation >> Constitution & Law Procedure  

This Public Interest Litigation (PIL) of Forum For Fast Justice through its Secretary Ashish Mehta & Another v/s University of Mumbai through its Vice Chancellor (V.C.), Maharashtra & Others., sought several reliefs concerning the functioning and management of legal aid clinics in law colleges under Mumbai University. The petition called for actions such as forming a team to inspect and report on these clinics, requesting budgetary provisions for their operation, and mandating annual reports from the University and other authorities. It also sought disciplinary action against certain University officials for dereliction of duty.

In response, the State Legal Services Authority, represented by Ms. Gonsalvez, objected to the PIL on grounds of vagueness, as the petition lacked specific details and was considered general and omnibus. Despite this, the petitioner, Mr. Raiyani, refused to amend the petition, maintaining that the reliefs sought were justified under the constitutional provisions for free legal aid and justice.


 

 

The court noted the lack of substantial evidence in the petition and its overly broad nature. The court further emphasized that the petitioner had failed to answer critical queries regarding the petition's maintainability. Additionally, the court cited a similar PIL filed by the petitioner in which the petition was dismissed for similar reasons.

Ultimately, the court dismissed the present PIL, disapproving of the petitioner's repeated filing of poorly drafted and vague petitions, stressing that this undermines the judicial process and consumes valuable resources.