#Administrative Arbitrariness

The Allahabad High Court has ruled that a farmer’s eligibility under the state’s accident welfare scheme is determined by active agricultural labor, not household income role. This sets a critical precedent for thousands of small and marginal farmers whose labor sustains family farms but who are often excluded by bureaucratic interpretations of 'breadwinner'.

The Bombay High Court has ruled that delaying approval of a government appointment years after service began violates Article 14 and constitutes administrative arbitrariness. The court mandated immediate correction of the approval date to match the original appointment date and ordered payment of full salary arrears, reinforcing that procedural delays cannot deprive employees of rightful benefits.

The Madhya Pradesh High Court ruled that extraordinary gallantry in rescuing lives from a 200-foot gorge, even when outside official duty parameters, triggers mandatory out-of-turn promotion under Regulation 70-A. This sets a precedent for recognizing non-combat bravery as equivalent to wartime valor in police service promotions, affecting thousands of state police personnel eligible for similar recognition.

The Gauhati High Court ruled that a state’s prolonged, uninterrupted acceptance of an employee’s service-spanning over two decades-creates a legitimate expectation protected under Article 14, making it unconstitutional to later deny pension and salary benefits. This sets a critical precedent for public employees facing retroactive service challenges after decades of state recognition.

The Kerala High Court ruled that when no protected office attendant is available for a vacancy, the government cannot require prior permission from the Deputy Director of Education to appoint a non-protected candidate. This clarifies that existing government directives override procedural overreach, ensuring timely staffing in public schools and protecting candidates from arbitrary delays in public employment.

Andhra Pradesh High Court rules that administrative classifications of land cannot supersede the constitutional right to peaceful assembly, directing authorities to consider alternative venues for public meetings. The judgment reinforces that fundamental rights under Article 19(1)(b) prevail over arbitrary municipal restrictions, setting a precedent against administrative arbitrariness in public gathering permissions.

The Andhra Pradesh High Court has struck down the cancellation of industrial land allotment issued without notice or opportunity to be heard, declaring it arbitrary and unconstitutional. This ruling reinforces that even inadvertent procedural lapses by state agencies violate fundamental rights to fair procedure and property, setting a critical precedent for all public land allotments across India.

Madhya Pradesh High Court sets aside the suspension of a police officer who raided a gambling den linked to an IAS officer, ruling that punitive action against lawful duty performance undermines constitutional safeguards. The judgment reinforces judicial review over administrative arbitrariness in disciplinary actions against government servants.

MP High Court quashes rejection of arms dealer license renewal, ruling that administrative authorities cannot impose non-statutory safety requirements beyond those mandated under the Arms Rules, 2016. The decision reinforces statutory compliance as the sole basis for license renewal, curbing arbitrary administrative discretion.

Bombay HC quashes rejection of Shikshan Sewak appointments, ruling that administrative authorities cannot invalidate appointments years later on grounds of excess teachers or roster violations without prior notice or due process. The judgment reaffirms that consequential benefits like seniority and increments cannot be denied arbitrarily, impacting thousands of government-appointed teachers.

The Central Administrative Tribunal ruled that retired employees undergoing emergency medical treatment are entitled to full CGHS reimbursement, even if intimation is delayed, provided the treatment and expenses are verified. The ruling underscores that administrative technicalities cannot override the right to medical reimbursement in emergencies, protecting pensioners from arbitrary denial of benefits.

Uttarakhand HC strikes down a tender condition mandating a hill area experience certificate, ruling it artificially restricts competition and violates Article 14. The court emphasized that eligibility criteria must not favor a select few bidders, ensuring fair revenue maximization for public bodies.

The Calcutta High Court has ruled that transferring a senior medical resident away from their merit-based posting without reasoned justification violates Article 14 of the Constitution. The petitioner must be reinstated to Hooghly Hospital as originally allotted under the centralized counselling process, reinforcing that merit-based allocation systems cannot be overridden capriciously by administrative discretion.

The Bombay High Court struck down a Rs. 22.63 crore penalty imposed on the Indian Newspaper Society for late construction, holding that a supplementary lease deed extinguishing the original time limit nullifies any penalty based on the expired deadline. The ruling reinforces that administrative bodies cannot impose financial penalties without prior notice or meaningful opportunity to respond, and that ambiguous lease terms must be construed against the drafter - a critical safeguard for non-profit institutions dealing with public authorities.

The Calcutta High Court has ruled that cancelling a government e-auction without recording specific, contemporaneous reasons violates natural justice and Article 14. Administrative justifications offered after the fact - such as alleged calculation errors - are legally invalid, setting a binding standard for transparency in public procurement decisions affecting private bidders.