The Bombay High Court recently rejected a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) plea that alleged illegality and corruption in an e-tendering process related to advertising contracts. The petitioner claimed biased decision-making in the awarding of a contract by the Kulgaon Badlapur Municipal Council in Thane district.
During the hearing, the court expressed its concerns about the misuse of PILs, noting that such petitions were being used excessively to target individuals rather than serving the broader public interest. “PILs are being misused day in and day out… You are targeting an individual. The tenders were issued in 2022. What have you been doing until now?” the bench questioned the petitioner.
The court emphasized that it cannot be expected to oversee every small municipal tender or contract matter and urged petitioners not to exploit PILs for personal grievances. Public Interest Litigations, the bench clarified, are not meant for targeting individuals or minor issues, but rather to address significant public concerns.
Ultimately, the court refused to entertain the plea, underscoring that the PIL process should not be used to interfere in every minor municipal contract or tender dispute.
