PILs
FRNV has approached the Supreme Court from time to time to take up burning issues of National importance on behalf of citizens of India and has submitted following PILs:
Status of PILs by FRNV in the Supreme Court
1. Writ Petition (C) no. 678/15 on “Parliament Stalling”
A PIL seeking guidelines from the Supreme Court was filed in August 2015 regarding the stalling and disruption of the Parliament which has led to the adverse affect on the National exchequer. Representing FRNV in the Supreme Court, Advocate Ravi P Mehrotra, told the Supreme Court bench that every minute of running Parliament during the last six sessions costed an average of Rs 2.5 lakh and 2,162 hours had been wasted. FRNV contended that there is a vacuum in law on this issue and, hence, an emergent judicial intervention by the apex court was imperative to restore public faith and credibility in the institution of Parliament.
2. Writ Petition on “Wasteful Advertisements”
A Writ Petition on “Wasteful Advertisements” was also filed by FRNV and decided by the Supreme Court on May 13, 2015. Review petitions in the matter has been filed by the Governments of Odisha, West Bengal, Karnataka, U.P and Tamil Nadu. The petitions are listed for hearing in January 2016.
3. Writ Petition (C) no. 823/13 on “Disaster Management”
Writ Petition (C) no. 823/13 on “Disaster Management” has been filed on September 24, 2015 . The petition is pending in the Supreme Court and listed for hearing in January 2016.
4. Writ Petition (C) no. 823/13 FRNV v. Union of India & others
This PIL was filed by FRNV in the aftermath of the tragedy at Uttarakhand in June 2013. The writ petition relates to the lack of disaster preparedness in India, and severe shortcomings in disaster management techniques, and the structure under the National Disaster Management Act, including the poor functioning of the National and States Disaster Management Authorities. The writ petition was last listed on 7.7.2014, when the Hon’ble Supreme Court directed that pleadings be completed (replies etc. be filed), before the matter is listed for hearing on 12.8.2014.
5. Writ Petition (C) no. 302/12 FRNV v. Union of India & others
This PIL relates to wasteful advertisements by the Central & State Governments, which is an unnecessary and unjustified burden on the public exchequer, and the need to stop/regulate this practice. The petition was last listed on 3.7.2014 in the Hon’ble Supreme Court. After a brief hearing, the Hon’ble Court noticed that several States/Union Territories had not filed their affidavits in reply to the writ petition, despite earlier opportunity. As such, the petitioner (FRNV) was permitted to serve notice of the petition on the Standing Counsels for the States/Union Territories, in order that responses may be filed and the matter be heard.
On May 8, Supreme Court passed a judgement in the PIL filed by FRNV seeking comprehensive implementation of Disaster Management Act of 2005. FRNV was represented by Shri Ravi.P.Mehrotra. The Court contended that while there have been sufficient compliance with the provisions of the Act, it was imperative that the disaster management agencies at the national and state level should be ever vigilant. . Should there be any disaster, there should be total preparedness and minimum standard of relief be provided to the victims.
6. PIL on Kerala Floods
FRNV filed a PIL in the High Court of Kerala on 25th Jan. 2019 which was admitted by the Chief Justice Bench on 29th and the Court has issued notice to Kerala Govt. and concerned authorities. The PIL has brought out that the floods and deluges that took place in part of Kerala in August 2018 was a manmade disaster and had pleaded for a high level technical committee to be appointed for unraveling the reasons for this tragedy so that similar disasters do not get repeated in the State and in the country also.