India, July 17 -- The Bombay high court on Wednesday questioned the legal right of six advocates to file a public interest litigation (PIL) accusing Prada of cultural appropriation after the Italian luxury fashion brand showcased Kolhapuri chappal-inspired footwear at the Milan Fashion Week last month.

Dismissing the plea, a division bench of chief justice Alok Aradhe and justice Sandeep Marne said that the petitioners were neither an affected party nor a registered association of the footwear makers.

"What is your locus and the public interest? Any person aggrieved can file a suit. What is the public interest in this?" the bench said. Responding to one of the petitioners' arguments that he had done research on the matter, the bench sai...