JUDICIAL CONTROL.pdf

Suits Against Government In India, Article 300 of the Constitution governs the suability of the state. It states that the Union Government and State Government
can be sued, subject to the provisions of the law made by the Parliament and the state legislature respectively.

1. FACULTY NAME:
KANHAIYA JHA
BATCH NAME:
PUB. AD. OPTIONAL
SUBJECT:
PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION
TOPIC NAME:
JUDICIAL CONTROL
DATE OF PRESENTATION:
18 / 09/ 2023

3. ThecontrolexercisedbytheCourtsovertheadministrativeactsiscalled
judicialcontrol.Itisthepowerofthecourtstokeeptheadministrativeacts
withinthelimitsoflaw.
Italsoimpliestherightofanaggrievedcitizentochallengethewrongfulacts
ofadministratorsinacourtoflaw.M.P.Sharma(thefirstprofessorofpublicadministrationinIndia),
observed-
"lookedatfromthepointofviewofthecitizenswhose
libertiesandrightsthey(i.e.courts)areintendedto
protect,thecontrolsexercisedbythecourtsarecalled
'judicialremedies.'

4. Theprimaryobjectiveofjudicialcontroloveradministrationis
theprotectionoftherightsandlibertiesofcitizensbyensuring
thelegalityofadministrativeact.
InthewordsofL.D.White, "Thepurposeoflegislative
supervisionisprincipallytocontrolthepolicyandthe
expenditureoftheexecutivebranch,theendsoughtbyjudicial
controlofadministrativeactsistoensuretheirlegalityandthus,
protectcitizensagainstunlawfultrespassontheir
constitutionalorotherrights."

6. Thejudicialcontrolover
administrationemanatesfromthe
conceptof'ruleoflaw'whichisa
cardinalfeatureoftheBritish
ConstitutionaswellastheIndian
Constitution.
A.V.Dicey,theBritishconstitutional
lawyer,inhisfamousbook
IntroductiontotheStudyoftheLaw
oftheConstitutiongaveaclassic
expositionofthisconcept.
BASIS

7. Asperdiceythethreeelementsof'ruleoflaw'areasfollows:-
(i)Absenceofarbitrarypower,thatis,nomancanbepunishedexcept
forabreachoflaw.
(ii)Equalitybeforethelaw,thatis,equalsubjectionofallcitizens(rich
orpoor,highorlow,officialornon-official)totheordinarylawofthe
landadministeredbytheordinarylawcourts.
(iii)Theprimacyoftherightsoftheindividual ,thatis,the
Constitution,istheresultoftherightsoftheindividualasdefinedand
enforcedbythecourtsoflawratherthantheConstitutionbeingthe
sourceoftheindividualrights.Thus,therightsofthecitizensofGreat
Britainflowfromthejudicialdecisions,notfromtheConstitution.

8. ARTICLE 14: EQUALITY BEFORE LAW

10. Thejudiciarycaninterveneintheadministrativeactsunderthe
followingcircumstances.
(i)Lackofjurisdiction,thatis,whentheadministratoractswithout
authorityorbeyondthescope ofhisauthorityoroutsidethe
geographicallimitsofhisauthority.Itistechnicallycalled
'overfeasance'(excessofauthority).
(ii)Erroroflaw,thatis,whentheadministratormisinterpretsthe
lawandthusimposesuponthecitizen,obligationswhicharenot
requiredbythecontentoflaw.Itistechnicallycalled'misfeasance'.
Scope(Grounds)

12. (iii)Errorinfactfinding,thatis,whentheadministratormakesa
mistakeinthediscoveryoffactsandactsonwrongpresumptions.
(iv)Abuseofauthority,thatis,whentheadministratoruseshis
authority(orpowerordiscretion)vindictivelytoharmsome
person.Itistechnicallycalled'malfeasance.'
(v)Errorofprocedure,thatis,whentheadministratordoesnot
followthelaiddownprocedure.
Thecitizenswhoareaffectedbytheabovecasescanseekthe
interventionofjudiciaryintheadministrativeacts.

14. Thejudiciaryexercises
controloveradministration
throughthefollowing
methodsortechniques-
Methods
Judicial Review
Statutory Appeal
Suits Against Government
Suits Against Public Officials
Extraordinary Remedies

15. JudicialReviewItisthepowerofthecourtstoexaminethelegality
andconstitutionalityofadministrativeacts.Onexamination,ifthey
arefoundtobeviolativeoftheConstitution(ultravires),theycanbe
declaredasillegal,unconstitutionalandinvalidbythecourts.The
scopeofjudicialreviewintheUSAismuchwiderthaninBritain.
Indiafallsinbetweenthetwoduetotheconstitutionalandstatutory
limitations(onthescopeofjudicialreview).

17. ARTICLE 13: -LAWS INCONSISTENT WITH
FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS
Pre-constitution law
(Art 13 (1) )
Doctrine of eclipse
Post constitution law(
Art 13 (2))
Doctrine of judicial
review
Doctrine of
severability
Classification of law (
Art 13 (3))
Ordinance, order, bye-
law, rule, regulation,
notification, custom
and laws in force
Exemption from
scrutiny (Art 13 (4))
Added by 24
th
CAA,
1971
Constitution
amendment act under
Art. 368
Kesavananda case-
subject to basic
structure

19. Article 32 (1)
The right to move
the Supreme
Court
By “appropriate
proceedings”
Locus standi PIL
for the enforcement of the
rights conferred by this Part
Only available
for FR
Is guaranteed
Something
must be
happen

21. •Locus Standi is a Latin phrase meaning “the place of standing.” It refers to the
legal right of an Individual or group to bring a lawsuit.
•Locus Standi originated in England where it was first used by Lord Mansfield in
1758 when he said: “Every man has a right to sue in forma pauperis; but no
man has a right without paying his costs.”
•According to the doctrine of locus standi, a person who is stranger to a
disputed matter cannot be allowed to interfere in the judicial proceedings.
Locus Standi

22. •Borrowed from American jurisprudence, The
expression ‘Public Interest Litigation’ provides for legal
representation to previously unrepresented groups
like the poor, the racial minorities, unorganised
consumers, citizens who were passionate about the
environmental issues, etc.
•Public interest Litigation (PIL) means litigation filed in
a court of law, for the protection of “Public Interest”,
such as Pollution, Terrorism, Road safety,
Constructional hazards etc.
•Any matter where the interest of public at large is
affected can be redressed by filing a Public Interest
Litigation in a court of law.
Public Interest Litigation

23. StatutoryAppealTheparliamentarystatute(i.e.laworact)
mayitselfprovidethatinaspecifictypeofadministrative
act,theaggrievedcitizenwillhavetherightofappealtothe
courts.Undersuchcircumstances,thestatutoryappealis
possible.

24. SuitsAgainstGovernmentInIndia,Article300oftheConstitutiongovernsthe
suabilityofthestate.ItstatesthattheUnionGovernmentandStateGovernment
canbesued,subjecttotheprovisionsofthelawmadebytheParliamentand
thestatelegislaturerespectively.
Thestateissuableincontracts.Thismeansthatthecontractualliabilityofthe
UnionGovernmentandtheStateGovernmentsissameasthatofanindividualunder
theordinarylawofcontract.
However,incaseoftorts,thepositionisdifferent(atortisawrongfulactionor
injuryforwhichasuitfordamageslies).Inthisregard,adistinctionismadebetween
thesovereignandnon-sovereignfunctionsofthestate .Thestate,forthe
tortiousactsofitsservants,canbesuedonlyincaseofitsnon-sovereign
functionsbutnotincaseofitssovereignfunctions.

25. The Uttar Pradesh Recovery of
Damages to Public and Private
Property Act, 2020

26. InFrance,wherethesystemof
'DroitAdministration'prevails,the
stateassumesresponsibilityfor
theofficialactionsofitsservants
andcompensatethecitizensfor
anylosssufferedbythem. The
aggrievedcitizenscandirectlysuethe
stateinthe'administrativecourts'
andgetthedamagesawarded.

27. SuitsAgainstPublicOfficialsInIndia,thePresidentandthestate
governorsenjoypersonalimmunityfromlegalliabilityfortheirofficial
acts.Duringtheirtermofoffice,theyareimmunefrom anycriminal
proceedings,eveninrespectoftheirpersonalacts.Theycannotbearrestedor
imprisoned.
However,aftergivingtwomonths'notice,civilproceedingscanbe
institutedagainstthemduringtheirtermofofficeinrespectoftheir
personalacts.
Theministersdonotenjoysuchimmunitiesandhencetheycanbesuedin
ordinarycourtslikecommoncitizensforcrimesaswellastorts..

30. UndertheJudicialOfficer'sProtectionActof1850,thejudicialofficersare
immunefromanyliabilityinrespectoftheiractsandhencecannotbesued.
Thecivilservantsareconferredpersonalimmunityfromlegalliabilityfor
officialcontractsbytheArticle299oftheConstitutionofIndia.Inothercases,the
liabilityoftheofficialsisthesameasofanyordinarycitizen.
Civilproceedingscanbeinstitutedagainstthemforanythingdoneintheir
officialcapacityaftergivingatwomonths'notice.
Asregardscriminalliabilities,proceedingscanbeinstitutedagainstthemfor
actsdoneintheirofficialcapacitywithpriorpermissionfromthegovernment.
TheMonarchinBritainandthePresidentintheUSAenjoyimmunityfromlegal
liability.ThelegallyacceptedphraseinBritainis,'TheKingcandonowrong .'
Hencehecannotbesuedinanycourtoflaw

31. (i)HabeasCorpus
Itliterallymeans"tohavethebodyof."Itisanorderissuedby
thecourttoapersonwhohasdetainedanotherperson,to
producethebodyofthelatterbeforeit.
Thecourtwillsettheimprisonedpersonfreeifthedetentionis
illegal.Thiswritisabulwarkofindividuallibertyagainst
arbitrarydetention.
Theseconsistofthefollowingsixkindsofwritsissuedbythe
courts-
ExtraordinaryRemedies

32. Habeas Corpus
Latin term
literally means ‘to
have the body of’
Called as
Bulwark of
individual liberty
against arbitrary
detention.
Issued against
“Both”
Public authorities
Private individuals.
Claimed by
An aggrieved person
who has been
detained by another
person
Any other person
Court examine
The cause and
legality of
detention.
Not issued when
detention is lawful,
the proceeding is
for contempt of a
legislature or a
court,
Detention is by a
competent court
Detention is
outside the
jurisdiction of the
court.

33. (ii)Mandamus
Itliterallymeans'wecommand '.Itisacommandissuedby
thecourttoapublicofficialaskinghimtoperformhisofficial
dutieswhichhehasfailedtoperform.
(iii)Prohibition
Itliterallymeans'toforbid.'Itisissuedbyahighercourttoa
lowercourtwhenthelatterexceedsitsjurisdiction.
Itcanbeissuedonlyagainstjudicialandquasi-judicial
authoritiesandnotagainstadministrativeauthorities.Hence,
itsimportanceasatoolofjudicialcontroloveradministrationis
highlyrestricted.

34. Mandamus
Latin
word
literally
means ‘we
command’
called
as
Wakening
call for
sleeping
authority
Issued
against
A public
official,
public
body, a
corporatio
n, an
inferior
court, a
tribunal or
governme
nt
Who failed
or refused
to perform
his official
duties
Cannot be issued against
Private
individual
or body;
The
president
of India or
the state
governors
The chief
justice of a
high court
acting in
judicial
capacity.
when the
duty is
discretion
ary and
not
mandatory
enforce
departme
ntal
instruction
that does
not
possess
statutory
force
to
enforce a
contractu
al
obligatio
n

36. (iv)Certiorari
Itliterallymeans'tobecertified.'Itisissuedbyahighercourttoalowercourt
fortransferringtherecordsofproceedingsofacasependingwithit,forthe
purposeofdeterminingthelegalityofitsproceedingsorforgivingfulleranda
moresatisfactoryeffecttothemthancouldbedoneinthelowercourt.
Thus,unliketheProhibitionwhichisonlypreventive,theCertiorariis
bothpreventiveaswellascurative.

37. (v)QuoWarranto
Itliterallymeans'bywhatauthorityorwarrant.'Itis
issuedbythecourtstoenquireintothelegalityofclaim
ofapersontoapublicoffice.Therefore,itprevents
illegalassumptionofpublicofficebyaperson.

38. Quo-Warranto
Latin word
Literally means ‘by what
authority or warrant’
Issued
To enquire the legality a
person holding a public
office (permanent
character).
To prevents illegal
usurpation of public
office
Cannot be issued
In cases of ministerial
office or private office.
Can be demanded
by
By any interested person

40. Prohibition
Literal meaning
‘to forbid’
Issued by a
supreme court
Against lower
court / tribunal
Purpose
to prevent
exceeding its
jurisdiction or
usurping a
jurisdiction that it
does not possess.
Not available
against
administrative
authorities,
legislative bodies
private
individuals or
bodies.

41. Certiorari
literal meaning
‘to be certified’
or ‘to be
informed’
Issued by
A higher court
to a lower
court or
tribunal either
Objective
To transfer a
pending case
To squash the
order of the
latter
Grounds
Excess of
jurisdiction
Lack of
jurisdiction
Error of law
Nature
Both
preventive as
well as
curative.
Issued against
Judicial and
quasi-judicial
authorities
administrative
authorities
affecting rights
of individuals.
Not available
against
Legislative
bodies
private
individuals or
bodies.

42. (vi)Injunction
Itisissuedbythecourtaskingapersontodoathingorrefrainfromdoingit .Thus,it
isoftwokindsviz.mandatoryandpreventive.Themandatoryinjunctionresembles
thewritofMandamusbutitisdifferent.
AsputbyM.P.Sharma,"Mandamuscannotbeissuedagainstprivatepersonswhile
theinjunctionisprimarilyaprocessofprivatelawandonlyrarelyaremedyin
administrativelaw.Mandamusisaremedyofcommonlawwhileinjunctionisthe
strongarmofequity."
Similarly,preventiveinjunctionresemblesthewritofProhibitionbutitisdifferent.In
thewordsofM.P.Sharma,"Injunctionisdirectedtothelitigantpartieswhileprohibition
tothecourtitself.Also,whileinjunctionrecognisesthejurisdictionofthecourtinwhich
theproceedingsarepending,prohibitionstrikesatsuchjurisdiction."

43. (i)Thecourtscanissuealltheabovementionedwrits.However,onlythefirstfiveare
mentionedintheConstitutionofIndia.
(ii)Article32oftheConstitutionauthorisestheSupremeCourttoissuewritsforthe
enforcementoftheFundamentalRightsofcitizensguaranteedtothembythe
Constitution.
(iii)Article226oftheConstitutionauthorisesHighCourtstoissuethewritsnotonly
fortheenforcementoftheFundamentalRightsofcitizensguaranteedbythe
Constitutionbutalsoforotherpurposes.ThewritjurisdictionofHighCourtsiswider
thanthatoftheSupremeCourt.
(iv)Parliament(underArticle32)canempoweranyothercourttoissuethesewrits.
Sincenosuchprovisionhasbeenmadesofar,onlytheSupremeCourtandtheHigh
Courtscanissuethewritsandnotanyothercourt.
WritsinIndia

44. Art 32 Vs 226
Difference Supreme Court High Court
Purpose To only enforce fundamental
rights
To enforce fundamental rights but
also for other purposes (The
expression ‘for any other
purpose’ refers to the
enforcement of an ordinary legal
right)
Territorial JurisdictionAgainst a person or government
throughout the territory of India
•Against a person residing,
government or authority located
within its territorial jurisdiction
only
Or
•Outside its territorial jurisdiction
only if the cause of action arises
within its territorial jurisdiction
Power Article 32 is a fundamental right-
the Supreme Court may not
refuse to exercise its power to
issue the writs
Discretionary-May refuse to
exercise its power to issue writs

45. Limitations
(i)Thejudiciarycannotinterveneinadministrativeprocesson
itsown.Thecourtsinterveneonlywhentheaggrievedcitizentakes
thematterbeforethem.Therefore,thejudiciarylacksthesuomoto
power.
(ii)Thecontrolexercisedbythecourtsisinthenatureofa post
mortemcontrol,thatis,theyinterveneafterthedamageisdoneto
thecitizenbytheadministrativeacts.
(iii)Alladministrativeactsarenotsubjecttojudicialcontrolasthe
Parliamentmayexcludecertainmattersfrom thejurisdictionof
thecourts.

46. (iv)Self-denyingordinance,thatis,thejudiciarydeniestoitself
jurisdictioniscertainmatters.Thecourtsrefusetointervenein
certainpurelyadministrativemattersonitsownaccord.
(v)Thejudicialprocessisveryslowandcumbersome aswellasvery
expensive.
(vi)Thejudgesbeinglegalexpertscannotfullyandproperly
understandthehighlytechnicalnatureofadministrativeacts.
(vii)Thevolume,varietyandcomplexityofadministration has
increasedduetowelfareorientationofthestate.Hence,thecourtscannot
revieweachandeveryadministrativeactaffectingthecitizen.

47. ReformMeasures
•Code of conduct for judiciary should be updated in
accordance with changing time and circumstances
•The law enacted during colonial rule ( pre independence law)
should be modernized or repealed if inconsistent.
•Alternate dispute resolution mechanism should be
strengthen.
•For better understanding civil servant may be trained for
judicial proceedings.
•Seminar and conference with judicial member will guide
administration how to react.