Which was the first reported case of PIL in India?

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