However, the Supreme Court upheld the Allahabad High Court verdict.
At the outset, the Court stated that maintenance of high standard of conduct and character of the judicial officers has always been a matter of great concern.
Further, it stated that if the inquiry has been fairly and properly conducted, and the findings are based on evidence, “the adequacy of the evidence or reliability of evidence would not be a ground to interfere with the findings recorded in the departmental enquiries.”
The Court also noted that the appellant had not made any allegation with regard to violation of principles of natural justice or contravention of any statutory rules or regulations having occasioned during the course of enquiry proceedings or in the decision-making process.
The top court held that interference with the decision of departmental authorities is permissible “only if the proceedings were conducted in violation of the principles of natural justice or in contravention of statutory regulations regulating such proceedings or if the decision on the face of it is found to be arbitrary or capricious”.
In absence of any such allegations, the Supreme Court saw no reason to interfere with the subjective satisfaction arrived at by the High Court on the administrative side, and the order passed by the High Court on the judicial side.
Source: Barandbench
