Delhi HC Raps Petitioner for Filing PIL Based on News Report, Says ‘Do Proper Research’

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday, July 23, 2025, pulled up a petitioner for filing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) solely based on a newspaper report.

The Court, while cautioning the petitioner to conduct proper research before approaching it, remarked, "You read a newspaper and then file a petition. That’s not how we exercise writ jurisdiction. If there’s criminality, anyone can lodge an FIR."

The observation was made by a Division Bench of Chief Justice D K Upadhyaya and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela while hearing a PIL seeking regulation of external recruitment agencies involved in appointments to public sector banks.

The PIL called for an independent probe by SEBI or the CBI into alleged irregularities in recruitment practices at Can Fin Homes Ltd (CFHL), a publicly listed entity managed by Canara Bank.

During the hearing, the petitioner, relying on a report by NDTV Profit, submitted,"There was an internal director in Canfin Homes who used to fix, with an external third-party HR agency, who should be hired and who should not. Lordships need to regulate such third-party hiring."

Visibly irked, the bench asked, "What is the evidential value of a newspaper report?" To this, the petitioner responded, "It is a secondary source."

Unimpressed, the Court said, "You’ve just relied on a newspaper report published by NDTV Profit? We can’t take cognisance like this unless it’s corroborated by your own research."

The bench further questioned why the petitioner had not approached the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) or the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), asking, "Did you approach any authority before coming to Court?"

When the petitioner replied in the negative, the Court observed, "Please don’t take PIL jurisdiction so lightly."

Accordingly, the petitioner sought liberty to withdraw the plea, which was granted by the Court.

Case Title: PARITOSH AWASTHI v/s UNION OF INDIA & ORS.

Date: July 23, 2025

Bench: Chief Justice D K Upadhyaya and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela