Public nuisances and other wrongful acts affecting the public
Full Text
(1) In the case of a public nuisance or other wrongful act affecting, or likely to affect, the public, a suit for a declaration and injunction or for such other relief as may be appropriate in the circumstances of the case, may be instituted,—
(a) by the Advocate-General, or
(b) with the leave of the Court, by two or more persons, even though no special damage has been caused to such persons by reason of such public nuisance or other wrongful act.
(2) Nothing in this section shall be deemed to limit or otherwise affect any right of suit which may exist independently of its provisions.
Plain English Summary
Section 91 provides comprehensive civil remedies (declaration, injunction, or other reliefs) against public nuisances and public wrongs, authorizing suits by the Advocate-General or by two or more citizens with leave of the court without requiring proof of special damage, while safeguarding independent common-law private rights of action.
Key Legal Elements
- Subject-Matter: Public nuisance or any other wrongful act affecting or likely to affect the general public.
- Permitted Reliefs: Suit for declaration, permanent/temporary injunction, or appropriate restitutionary relief.
- Authorized Plaintiffs: Advocate-General ex officio, or two or more persons acting with prior leave of the court.
- Dispensation with Special Damage: Plaintiffs suing with court leave need not prove any special or personal injury.
- Preservation of Private Common Law Rights (Sec 91(2)): Individual private tort claims arising from public nuisance remain unaffected.
Practical Note
Public Nuisance Practice, Leave Requirement & Environmental Litigation: (1) Leave of the Court is Mandatory: Filing under Sec 91(1)(b) requires a prior application for leave of the court; instituting a suit without leave or granting of leave post-facto is a fatal defect unless cured before hearing. (2) Dispensing with 'Special Damage': At common law, an individual could only sue for public nuisance if they proved 'special/particular damage' over and above the public. The 1976 amendment to Section 91 removed this hurdle, enabling two or more citizens with court leave to protect public pathways, water bodies, or public health without personal damage. (3) Saving of Independent Rights (Sec 91(2)): A private citizen suffering special damage (e.g. obstruction directly blocking their only house entrance) can still file an ordinary civil suit under general tort law without seeking leave under Section 91. (4) Interplay with Order I Rule 8 & CrPC 133: Section 91 operates alongside representative suits under Order I Rule 8 and summary executive magisterial powers under Section 133 CrPC / Section 152 BNSS.
हिंदी पाठ
(1) लोक न्यूसेंस (Public Nuisance) के या लोक पर प्रभाव डालने वाले या प्रभाव डालने की संभावना वाले अन्य दोषपूर्ण कार्य के मामले में, घोषणा (Declaration) और व्यादेश (Injunction) के लिए अथवा ऐसे अन्य अनुतोष के लिए जो मामले की परिस्थितियों में समुचित हो, वाद—
(क) महाधिवक्ता (Advocate-General) द्वारा, या
(ख) न्यायालय की इजाजत (Leave of the Court) से, दो या अधिक व्यक्तियों द्वारा संस्थित किया जा सकेगा, भले ही ऐसे व्यक्तियों को ऐसे लोक न्यूसेंस या अन्य दोषपूर्ण कार्य के कारण कोई विशेष नुकसान (Special Damage) न पहुंचा हो।
(2) इस धारा की कोई भी बात वाद के ऐसे किसी अधिकार को सीमित या अन्यथा प्रभावित करने वाली नहीं समझी जाएगी जो इसके उपबंधों से स्वतंत्र रूप से विद्यमान हो।