Litigation can be described as a contest, on the issue of legal rights and liabilities, vide judicial proceedings in a court of law. There are two parties involved in litigation; it can be government and a private individual or any two private parties, or two companies having a dispute regarding certain claims and liabilities. The tussle can be regarding a claim over property, damages, specific relief etc.The contesting parties are represented by their councils called lawyers, advocates or solicitors. The litigation begins when the aggrieved party technically called plaintiffs files a complaint in the court against a defendant who has infringed the rights of the plaintiff by some action or abstinence of an action. The summons are served on the defendant to appear in the court and present his side and defends himself on the claims made by the plaintiff. The defendant should reply to the summons within the stipulated time.
The other important tool in the hands of citizens is Public interest litigation called PIL. In a matter concerning the public at large if anybody realizes the need to approach the court for any direction regarding a fundamental right or any other legal right, one can do so vide Article 226 in High Court. And one can approach the Supreme Court under Article 32 for violation of a fundamental right.