'PIL Not For Litigants To Vent Ideas': Karnataka High Court Fines Man ₹1 Lakh For Seeking Discussion On Bill Drafted By Him

The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday imposed a fine of Rs 1 Lakh on a litigant seeking direction to various government departments to discuss 'Karnataka Government Transformation Bill 2025' which was drafted by him.

A division bench of Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru and Justice Ramchandra D Huddar while dismissing a petition filed by one Murali Krishna Brahmandam said PIL (jurisdiction) is not for litigants to vent their ideas, however bright they may be.

The petitioner who claimed to be a political economist had approached the court seeking a direction to all the concerned principal secretaries, secretaries, and special secretaries of the 34 ministries and their 44 departments of Karnataka to discuss and propose the Karnataka Government Transformation Bill, 2025, which was drafted by him.

The bench said “The present petition is misconceived and it has not presented a violation of any statutory or fundamental rights. The PIL is not for the purposes of litigants to vent their ideas. However bright they may be. The petition is dismissed with a cost of Rs 1 lakh.”

The petitioner further sought a direction to the Additional Chief Secretary to the Chief Minister to bring this matter to the attention of the Chief Minister and request him to direct his Council of Ministers to initiate the Karnataka Government Transformation Bill, 2025

Further, direct the respondents to instruct his political party MLA's, MLC's and MP's to urge Karnataka Government Council of Ministers to introduce the Bill.

After the hearing was over the court orally observed “This is the principle of Public interest litigation, unless there is gravity of a case you don't bring public interest. You may have bright ideas but that does not translate into a public interest litigation.”

Case Title: Murali Krishna Brahmandam AND Chief Secretary & Others

Case No: WP 23824/2025

Citation No: 2025 LiveLaw (Kar) 268