Synopsis

This Supreme Court judgment, delivered under Article 32 of the Constitution, is a stark indictment of institutional vendetta and administrative mala fides. The Court intervenes to remedy a prolonged injustice suffered by a distinguished civil servant, Captain Pramod Kumar Bajaj, whose appointment as a Member of the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT) was systematically thwarted by the government department over a decade. The core legal principles examined are the doctrine of bias, the principles of natural justice, and the scope of judicial review against mala fide exercise of administrative power. The Court set aside a biased selection committee's decision and directed a fresh, impartial consideration of the petitioner's candidature.

1. Basic Information of the Judgment

Case Title: Writ Petition (Civil) No. 1180 of 2025: Captain Pramod Kumar Bajaj vs. Union of India & Anr.

Citation: 2026 INSC 101

Court: Supreme Court of India

Jurisdiction: Civil Original Jurisdiction (Article 32)

Coram: Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Sandeep Mehta

Nature of Bench: Division Bench (Two Judges)

Date of Judgment: January 30, 2026

2. Governing Legal Framework & Key Precedents

The judgment is grounded in constitutional and administrative law principles:

• Primary Constitutional Provision:
  Article 32 of the Constitution: Invoked for enforcing fundamental rights, specifically the right to equality and fair treatment under Article 14, and the right to a fair and impartial selection process.

• Key Administrativ

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