Snail-paced disposal of PILs worries litigants

The simmering discontent came to the fore on Monday, which is a PIL day, in addition to Friday. On that day, over 300 odd cases were listed for hearing. But to everyone’s utter dismay, the plea moved by former finance minister P Chidambaram’s son Karti pertaining to his challenging the ‘Look Out Notice’ (LOC) issued by the CBI in the INX media case was taken up for hearing.

While the first bench reserved its orders for Friday, the hearing in the plea seeking the HC’s nod to travel to the UK and France took up both the morning and afternoon session of the court leaving the bench with hardly 10 minutes left to hear another case pertaining to appointment of law officers. The proceedings left many part of the 300 odd cases listed in utter disappointment.

A physically challenged advocate L Muruganathan, who had travelled from Dharapuram in Tiruppur, was distraught that his visit to Chennai went in vain. He said, “I have four PILs pending, which relate to the welfare of the physically challenged and students with psychological issues. But it was taken over by a political case and that to an individual’s right to travel abroad for business. Even though guidelines exist that the physically challenged should be given priority over others, it is unfortunate that none is bothered.” 

There were several others who had taken issues of high societal importance like creating evacuation mechanisms, such as construction of ramps, in all hospitals and educational institutions to prevent casualties during fire accidents and others. Many had to sit through the proceedings, but again, in vain.