
Administrative law in India has developed in response to the government's growing powers, requiring court review and formal procedures. The primary sources of administrative law in India are the Constitution, statutes, subordinate legislation, and case law. The Constitution is the supreme governing body, and it demarcates the legislative and administrative powers of the Union and the States. It also provides for an elaborate control mechanism and grants the courts the power to review legislative and administrative action and adjudge their constitutionality. The Supreme Court plays a significant role in ensuring administrative law in India, including through judicial review.
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What You'll Learn

The Constitution of India
Articles 73 and 62 of the Constitution grant executive authority to the Union and States, respectively, on subjects on which the Parliament and State governments are authorized to enact laws. The Constitution also includes significant components of administrative law, such as tribunals, the public sector, and government liability.
The Constitution provides for the independence of the judiciary and outlines the procedure for the removal of Supreme Court Judges. It establishes the administrative wing of the Supreme Court, known as the Registry, which is divided into two main wings: Administration and Judicial. The Chief Justice of India holds the administrative power to determine the work structure of the Court and the Registry.
The Constitution also contains provisions for the appointment of ad-hoc Judges and outlines the restrictions on the discussion of the conduct of Supreme Court and High Court Judges. It grants immunity to the President and Governors through various Articles.
The Seventh Schedule of the Constitution contains three lists: the Union List, the State List, and the Concurrent List. These lists outline the subjects on which Parliament and State Legislatures are empowered to make laws.
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Judicial rulings
In India, the Constitution is the supreme governing body and the primary source of administrative law. The Constitution provides for an elaborate control mechanism, demarcating the legislative and administrative powers of the Union and the States. It confers on the courts the power to review legislative and administrative action and determine their constitutionality.
The Supreme Court of India plays a significant role in ensuring administrative law in the country. It exercises judicial review to strike down arbitrary executive orders and ensure that government decisions conform to the principles of the Constitution. The courts interpret the Constitution and, through their judgments, create administrative regulations that act as precedents for future governmental actions. These judgments relate to the use of power by the administration, the government's liability for contract breaches, and the tortious actions of governmental officials.
The Indian judiciary also ensures that government officials operate within the boundaries of the law and that decisions by the government are subject to judicial review. Administrative courts handle cases faster than regular courts, providing rapid dispute resolution. The judiciary also ensures transparency in the actions of government agencies, with departments required to follow established procedures when addressing issues.
Additionally, specific tribunals have been established to handle disputes pertaining to administrative actions, such as the Central Administrative Tribunal. These tribunals relieve the burden on conventional courts while ensuring justice in administrative matters. New tribunals for tax, environment, and service matters have also been created to ensure fairness and justice.
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Statutory discretionary powers
India's administrative law is part of the country's ordinary law and is closely tied to the study of the government. The primary sources of administrative law in India are the Constitution, statutes, subordinate legislation, and case law.
The Constitution of India is the supreme governing body, and it covers various areas such as fundamental rights, writs, directive principles of state policy, the executive, the legislative, and the judiciary. It also outlines the legislative and administrative powers of the Union and the States, granting the courts the authority to review legislative and administrative actions and determine their constitutionality.
In India, the Parliament exercises control over the executive, and the courts have the ultimate authority to control the discretionary powers bestowed on the executive. The courts have developed various controls over discretionary action to ensure that this power is exercised within the limits prescribed by law, is just and fair, and is based on relevant grounds and good faith.
The Indian Constitution does not explicitly mention a rigid separation of powers, but it is generally accepted that such a separation exists. The power of judicial review has been granted to all High Courts under Article 227 of the Indian Constitution, allowing them supervisory power over subordinate courts and tribunals.
However, the administrative organ in India does not always require statutory power to act and execute a policy. In some cases, the executive can take administrative action without specific statutory sanction as long as it does not infringe on the legal rights of any person. Nevertheless, the courts have sought to establish limits on the conferment of broad discretionary powers by invoking the Fundamental Rights guaranteed by the Constitution.
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Government control
Administrative law in India is a branch of public law that governs the activities of administrative agencies of the government. It deals with the relationship between individuals and the government, determining the organisation and power structure of the administration or quasi-judicial authorities. The main sources of administrative law in India are the Constitution, statutes, subordinate legislation, and case law.
The Constitution of India is the supreme governing body and the primary source of administrative law. It provides for an elaborate control mechanism, demarcating the legislative and administrative powers of the Union and the States. The Constitution grants executive authority to the Union and States to deal with subjects on which the Parliament is authorised to enact laws under Articles 73 and 62, respectively. It also includes significant components of administrative law, such as tribunals, the public sector, and government liability.
The expansion of administrative law in India can be attributed to various reasons, including the change in the concept of the government, the inadequacy of the judicial system, and the evolution of a socialistic pattern of society. The shift towards a welfare state and the extension of government functions into areas like healthcare and education have also played a role. The development of administrative law in India has been influenced by the growth of administrative law in other countries, such as England and the United States, where it emerged in response to the government's growing powers.
The Supreme Court of India plays a crucial role in ensuring administrative law by striking down arbitrary executive orders through judicial review. Indian courts can revoke government decisions that transgress legal limits and hold them accountable for their actions. They interpret the Constitution and create administrative regulations that act as precedents for future governmental actions.
The Indian government's powers and functions are subject to certain limitations. The power of delegation is restricted, meaning that the delegatee cannot have more power than the delegator. Government officials must operate within the boundaries of the law, and their decisions are subject to judicial review. The Right to Information (RTI) provisions ensure transparency in the actions of government agencies.
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Welfare state requirements
India's shift towards a welfare state has been a significant factor in the expansion of its administrative law. The country's welfare state model is underpinned by the Directive Principles of State Policy, enshrined in Part IV of the Indian Constitution, which outlines the government's duties and responsibilities in ensuring the welfare of its citizens.
The Directive Principles serve as guidelines for the central and state governments when framing laws and policies, encompassing social and economic policies aimed at promoting social equality, justice, and a decent standard of living for all. These principles are not enforceable by courts but are considered fundamental in governance, with the state obligated to strive for social, economic, and political justice.
The welfare state requirements in India's administrative law are manifested through various legislative acts and policies. For example, the National Food Security Act of 2013 guarantees food security by providing subsidised food grains to all Indians. The government has also demonstrated its commitment to welfare through increasing expenditure on the social sector, including health insurance, education, grants for housing, financial transfers to the poor, unemployment benefits, and various social pensions.
Additionally, India's welfare state model addresses labour welfare through protective and welfare-oriented labour legislation, such as the Bonded Labour (Abolition) Act and the Minimum Wages Act. The Constitution also grants authority to federal and state governments to enact acts that enable the administrative branches to perform duties essential for social progress, outlining the duties and restrictions of the administration and providing a grievance procedure for citizens.
The evolution of India's welfare state has been influenced by various factors, including the country's independence and the expansion of governmental activities, as well as the shift away from a purely capitalist model. While critics of the welfare state model have expressed concerns about bureaucracy and tax burdens, India's approach to welfare is characterised by a mixed economy of public and private sectors, reflecting its status as a democratic socialist state.
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Frequently asked questions
Administrative law is the law relating to the administrative operation of government. It deals with the powers and duties of administrative authorities, the procedures they follow when exercising these powers and discharging their duties, and the remedies available to people whose rights are affected by administrative action.
The primary source of administrative law in India is the Constitution of India. The Constitution is the supreme law of the land and overrides all legislative and administrative actions. It provides for the functional organisation and consequential growth of the administrative process, demarcating the legislative and administrative power of the Union and the States. The Constitution also confers on the courts the power to review legislative and administrative action and determine their constitutionality.
Other sources of administrative law in India include statutes, subordinate legislation, and case law. The expansion of administrative law in India has been influenced by various factors, including the change in the concept of government, the inadequacy of the judicial system, and the evolution of a socialistic pattern of society.
The judiciary plays a significant role in ensuring administrative law in India. The Supreme Court has the authority to interpret the Constitution and create administrative regulations through its judgments. The courts can revoke government decisions that transgress legal limits and hold them accountable through judicial review.











































