Case Synopsis

Case: Divjot Sekhon vs State of Punjab & Ors., (2026) INSC 26.

Synopsis : This landmark judgment upholds the sanctity of admission processes by striking down an arbitrary mid-stream change in sports quota criteria, finding it violative of Article 14. It powerfully articulates that such a change, especially one influenced by undisclosed personal interest, vitiates the entire process, and reaffirms the inviolable principle that selection rules cannot be altered after the process has commenced.

1. Heading of the Judgment

Case Name: Divjot Sekhon vs State of Punjab & Ors.
Citation: 2026 INSC 26 (Civil Appeal No. of 2026 @ SLP(C) No. 23112 of 2024 and connected matters)
Court: Supreme Court of India
Bench: Hon'ble Mr. Justice Sanjay Kumar and Hon'ble Mr. Justice Alok Aradhe
Date of Judgment: January 06, 2026

2. Related Laws and Sections

The judgment extensively interprets and applies constitutional and administrative law principles:

• Article 14 of the Constitution of India: Guarantees equality before the law and prohibits arbitrariness in state action. This is the cornerstone for evaluating the fairness of the admission policy change.

• Doctrine of Legitimate Expectation: A principle of administrative law, as reiterated in Sivanandan C.T. vs High Court of Kerala, (2024) 3 SCC 799, which requires the state to act consistently, transparently, and predictably.

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