Karnataka High Court Refuses To Entertain PIL Seeking Restoration Of Railways Ticket Concession For Senior Citizens

The Karnataka High Court on Thursday refused to grant any relief and permitted the withdrawal of a public interest litigation seeking directions to the Union Government to restore the concession in fare for senior citizens in Railways.

A division bench of Chief Justice Prasanna B Varale and Justice M G S Kamal said

“Ultimately what should be the fare, whether the concession should be given to a particular class, all these are policy issues, how a court can enter that arena. Time and again the Supreme Court has said "please don’t do that, it is exclusively in the domain of the executive'. You can make a request to your elected representative.”

The petitioner Vinod G Kulkarni appearing in person told the court that since 2020, the concession in fare has been discontinued and because of which senior citizens are suffering a lot.

The bench asked the petitioner if he made any request in this regard to the Member Of Parliament. "There are legislative ways they can do something, not by this way. If they are representing the people they have every right to raise the issue before the appropriate forum," the court said. 

It added: “A representative of people is having other tools, these tools can be effectively used to raise the issue of public importance, even protecting a class of citizens before appropriate forum. If these tools are properly used, certainly there can be at least a redressal through the forum. You can prompt your representatives to at least do this.”

Case Title: Dr Vinod G Kulkarni And Ministry of Railways & Others

Case No: WP 15520/2022

Citation: 2023 LiveLaw (Kar) 200

Date of Order: 01-06-2023

Appearance: Vinod G Kulkarni, Party in person.

CGC Kumar M N for respondents