The first reported case of PIL was ‘Hussainara Khatoon Vs. State of Bihar’ in 1979. Few important facts of this case are as follows:

• This case focused on the inhuman conditions of prisons and under trial prisoners.
• This PIL was filed by an advocate on the basis of a news report highlighting the plight of thousands of under trial prisoners languishing in various jails. 
• It had led to a chain of proceedings, resulting in the release of over 40,000 under trial prisoners. 
• After this case, the Supreme Court has defined the right to speedy justice as a basic, fundamental right that has been denied to the prisoners. 

Further Reading:

• Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in India
• Judicial Activism
• Supreme Court of India