People have the right to seek justice in a court of law if they have been mistreated by someone else. You can only seek a court of law for redress if you are the one who is injured or offended. This proves that there is a process in place to deal with rights violations. However, the special socio-economic circumstances that are exclusive to India would restrict access to the legal system if the locus standi rule, which states that only those whose rights are infringed can petition the court, was rigidly followed. What transpires, for instance, if a person cannot afford to contact the courts? Is the violation of his rights permanent, or are there alternative options available? Therefore, using the locus standi rule mindlessly would result in more unfairness. It is vital to create new ideas and methodologies to solve the circumstances when individual representation is either insufficient or constrained due to social, political, and economic constraints. Public interest litigation is one such attempt by the Indian judiciary to address such challenges. It brings the justice delivery system to his door. Individual rights are given less consideration than group rights. Anyone with a sense of justice who is interested in holding those who have wronged others or a group of people accountable can go before the courts and fight for the rights of the underprivileged and helpless group of people. This article is divided into five major chapters: an introduction to the theoretical and socio-legal foundations of locus standi and its evolution, followed by a thorough discussion of the scope of PIL. The third chapter provides a comparative analysis of PIL practices in India and the USA, offering light on the judiciary’s proactive activities in both countries. The fourth chapter delves into the Administrative Responses and Challenges encountered throughout the adoption and misuse of PIL. Finally, the study summarizes the importance of PIL in contemporary times and makes recommendations to strengthen its future as a weapon for inclusive justice and accountability in governance.
