plaintiff
English meaning: Plaintiff
English Definition
(English)The plaintiff (from Old French: plaintif = complaining) is the aggrieved party who brings a civil action to court. The plaintiff must establish standing (sufficient legal interest to sue), allege a cause of action (recognisable legal claim), and bear the burden of proof. In India, public interest litigation (PIL) allows any citizen to act as plaintiff for constitutional violations affecting the public interest.
English Definition
The party who initiates a civil lawsuit by filing a complaint against another party (the defendant), seeking a legal remedy such as damages or an injunction. In criminal cases, the equivalent role is taken by the prosecution.
Example
“In Maneka Gandhi v. Union of India (1978), Maneka Gandhi was the plaintiff who challenged the impounding of her passport, resulting in a landmark Supreme Court judgment expanding Article 21.”
In English: “Maneka Gandhi as plaintiff won a Supreme Court ruling that transformed India's interpretation of the right to life and personal liberty.”
Synonyms
- claimant
- petitioner
- complainant
Antonyms / Opposites
- defendant
- respondent
Literary Heritage
“The one great principle of the English law is to make business for itself.”
“The one great principle of the English law is to make business for itself.”
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