Holding

Courts may not interfere with disciplinary punishments unless they are shocking to the conscience, illegal, procedurally improper, or irrational, and the High Court erred by not providing reasons for deeming the punishment disproportionate.

Summary

The United Commercial Bank dismissed Assistant Manager P.C. Kakkar after disciplinary proceedings under its 1976 Conduct, Discipline and Appeal Regulation, finding several charges of misconduct established. The employee appealed the dismissal and later challenged the quantum of punishment before the Allahabad High Court, which reduced the penalty and ordered reinstatement with a 75% salary deduction, citing a comparable case with a lesser punishment. The Bank contended that the High Court improperly interfered with the punishment despite serious charges, while the employee argued that the punishment was excessive and that his acquittal in a criminal case should be considered. The Supreme Court held that judicial interference in disciplinary punishments is limited to cases where the punishment shocks the conscience, is illegal, procedurally improper, or irrational, and that the High Court failed to record reasons for deeming the punishment disproportionate. Consequently, the Court remitted the matter to the High Court for fresh consideration of the quantum of punishment and dismissed both appeals.

Issues considered

The scope of judicial review over the quantum of punishment in disciplinary proceedings under Article 14.
Whether the High Court erred in interfering with the punishment without recording reasons.
Whether an acquittal in a criminal case bars disciplinary action or affects the quantum of punishment.
Application of the Wednesbury test and proportionality principles to administrative punishments.
Whether a co‑delinquent receiving a lesser punishment is a valid ground for interference.

Legislation cited

Constitution of Indias. Article 14, s. Article 21

Subjects

disciplinary proceedingsquantum of punishmentWednesbury testArticle 14proportionalitybank officer misconductjudicial reviewadministrative law

Judgment

A CHAIRMAN AND MANAGING DIRECTOR, UNITED COMMERCIAL
BANK AND ORS. i
v.
P.C. KAKKAR
~--
FEBRUARY 11, 2003
B
[SHIVARAJ V. PA TlL AND ARIJIT PASAYAT, JJ.]

Service Law:

c United Commercial Bank Officer Employees (Conduct, Discipline and
Appeal; "egulation, 1976-Misconduct by employee-Disciplinary
proceedings-Passing of dismissal order-Employee challenging quantum of
punishment-High Court having found charges established interfering with
the quantum of punishment-Justification of-Held, the High Court erred in
D interfering with the quantum ofpunishment since the punishment imposed did
not shock the conscience of the Court and High Court did not record any
reason for finding the punishment shockingly disproportionate-Also the
charges against the employee were ~erious in nature and not casual-Hence
matter remitted to High Court for fresh consideration only with regard to
quantum of punishment. ,...
E
Employer-bank initiated disciplinary proceedings against employee.
It found charges of misconduct established against employee and passed
dismissal order. Aggrieved employee's appeal and also review application
were dismissed. Employee then filed writ petition challenging the quantum
of punishment which was lesser in a similar situation where allegations
F against the employee were of much serious nature. High Court found the
charges established and accepted the plea of the employee and directed
the reinstatement, depriving him of 75% of salary for the period from the
date of removal to date of reinstatement. Hence the present appeals.

Employer-Bank contended that employer after having found that the
G
charges were established and also there was no challenge to the findings
before the High Court, the High Court committed an error in interfering
with the quantum of punishment; that some of the charges were of very
serious nature and one of the charges related to fabricating and }-
manipulation of records; that even if a co-delinquent has been given .lesser
H 1034
CHAIRMAN & MANA. DIRECTOR. UNITED COMMER. BANK 1·. P.C KAKKAR } 03 5
punishment, same cannot be a ground for interference and that the A
employee was acting as Assistant Manager in the Bank and committed
the acts of misconduct and taking into account the higher standard of
honesty and integrity required by such employees any interference \Vith
the quantum of punishment would amount to misplaced sympathy.

Employee contended that there was no embezzlement or fraud and B
there was no loss caused to the Bank; that the allegations of fictitious
entries were found not to have been established in a criminal case which
was initiated by the Central Bureau of Investigation and the employee was
acquitted of the charge; and that the High Court has placed reliance on
the case of the other officer which involved more serious allegations and C
even if the allegations so far as other officer and the present employee
can be differentiated, yet it has to be noted that the High Court imposed
more severe punishment compared to the other officer.

Disposing of the appeals, the Court
D
HELD: I.I. The Court should not interfere with the administrator's
decision unless it was illogical or suffers from procedural impropriety or
was shocking to the conscience of the Court, in the sense that it was in
defiance of logic or moral standards. In view of what has been stated in
the Wednesbury "s case, the Court would not go into the correctness of the
E
choice made by the administrator open to him and the Court should not
substitute its decision to that of the administrator. The scope of judicial
review is limited to the deficiency in decision-making process and not the
decision. f1045-F-Gf

1.2. Unless the punishment imposed by the Disciplinary Authority F
or the Appellate Authority shocks the conscience of the Court/Tribunal,
there is no scope for interference. Further to certain litigations it may, in
exceptional and rare cases, impose appropriate punishment by recording
cogent reasons in support thereof. In a normal course if the punishment
imposed is shockingly disproportionate it would be appropriate to direct G
t~e Disciplinary Authority or the Appellate Authority to reconsider the
penalty imposed. 11045-H; 1046-AI

Associated Provincial Picture Houses lin1ited v. Wednesbury
Corpora/ion. f19481 I KB 223 and Council for Civil Services Union v.
Minis/er of Civil Service, 119831 I AC 768, referred to. H
1036 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2003] 1 S.C.R.
i '

A Om Kumar and Ors. v. Union of India, [2001 [ 2 SCC 386; B. C.
Cha111rvedi v. Union of India and Ors., 11995 [ 6 SCC 749 and Union o.llndia
and Anr. v. G. Go11ay11tham, [19971 7 SCC 463, referred to.
)~
-
2. It needs no emphasis that when a Court feels that the punishment
is shockingly disproportionate, it must record reasons for coming to such
B a conclusion. Mere expression that the punishment is shockingly
disproportionate would not meet the requirement of law. In the instant ...
case, the High Court did not record any reason as to how and why it found
the punishment shockingly disproportionate. Even there is no discussion
on this aspect. The only discernible reason was lesser punishment awarded
C to the co-delinquent. Even such a plea was not available to be given
credence as the allegations were contextually different. [1046-G; 1046, B, q

Balbir Chand v. Food Corporation of India Ltd. and Ors., [199713 SCC
371, referred to.

D Breen v. Amalgamated Engineering Union, 11971 [ I All E.R. 1148 and
Alexander Machinery (Dudley) Ltd v. Crabtree, 119741 LCR 120, referred
to.

3. A Bank officer is required to exercise higher standards of honesty
and integrity. He deals with money of the depositors and the customers.
E Every officer/employee of the Bank is required to take all possible steps
to protect the interests of the Bank and to discharge his duties with utmost
integrity, honesty, devotion and diligen~e and to do nothing which is
unbecoming of a Bank Officer. Good conduct and discipline are
inseparable from the functioning of every officer/employee of the Bank.
The charges against the employee were not casual in nature and were
F serious. These aspects do not appear to have been kept in view by the High
Court. 11046-D, E, Fl

Disciplinary Authority-cum-Regional Manager v. Nikunja Bihari
Patnaik, [19961 9 SCC 69, referred to.

G 4. Acquittal in the criminal case is not determinative of the
commission of misconduct or otherwise and it is not open to the authorities
to proceed with the disciplinary proceedings, notwithstanding acquittal in
criminal case. It per se would not entitle the employee to claim immunity
from the proceedings. At the most the factum of acquittal may be a
H circumstance to be considered while awarding punishment. It would
CHAIRMAN & MANA. DIRECTOR. UNITEDCOMMF.R. BANK r. P.C. KAKKAR (PASA YAT. J.] 1037

depend upon facts of each case and even that cannot have universal A
application. Thus in these peculiar circumstances, the 1natter is remitted
back to the High Court for fresh consideration with regard to quantum
of punishment. I 10~7-C-EI

CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION: Civil Appeal No. 3433 of2000.
B
From the Judgment and Order dated 07.09.1999 in CMWP 13840 of
High Court of Judicature at Allahabad.

Heman! Chaudhari. Amarendra Singh, Sanjeev Malhotra and Shiv Kumar
Suri, for the Appellants.
c
Rani! Kumar, Bharat Sangal, Yatish Mohan and Vishwajit Singh for
the Respondent.

The Judgment of the Court was delivered by

ARIJIT PASAYAT, J. Heard. D
Leave granted in S L.P (C) No. 883 of 2000.

Both these appeals relate to judgment of the Allahabad High Court
dated 7.9.1999 and are, therefore, disposed of by this common judgment. The
primary question involved is the scope of interference in the 1natter of E
punishment by the High Court.

Factual background in a nutshell is as follo\vs:

Disciplinary proceedings were initiated by the United Commercial Bank
(hereinafter referred to as 'the employer') against P.C. Kakkar (hereinafter F
referred to as 'the employee). It was alleged that he had committed several
acts of misconduct while functioning as Assistant Manager ofMirzapur Branch.
He was placed under suspension w.e.f. 6. 7.1983. The disciplinary proceedings
were initiated in terms of United Commercial Bank Officer Employees
(Conduct, Discipline and Appeal) Regulation I 976 (hereinafter referred to as
'the regulation'). The charges were found established in respect of charge G
.... nos. I, 2, 3. 6, 7 and 8. On the basis of findings recorded by the Inquiry
Officer and as endorsed by the Disciplinary Authority, order of dismissal was
passed on 16.8.1988. Appeal preferred by the employee before the prescribed
appellate authority did not bring any relief Similar was the fate of the review
application. Matter was carried in writ petition before the Allahabad High H
1038 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2003] 1 S.C.R.

A Court. As noticed by the High Court. there was no challenge to the findings
recorded, and what was urged related to the quantum of punishment. One of
the points highlighted to question the quantum of punishment was that in a
similar situation, lesser punishment was im'posed on one M.L. Keshwani
though the allegations against him were of much serious nature. The High
B Court accepted the plea and, inter alia, directed as follows:-

"The Supreme Court has held in several cases that there should
be no discrimination in the matter of punishment vi de Sangram Singh
v. State of Punjab, (1983] 4 SCC 225.

On the facts of the case we are of the opinion that the punishment
c given to the petitioner was misappropriate and excessive. Hence while
we uphold finding of guilt. We quash the orders dated I 6.8 .1988 and
the order dated 11.10.1989 and 5.2.1990 and direct that the petitioner
shall be reinstated in service within six weeks of production of certified
copy of this order before the authority concerned but .he will be given
a lesser punishment. Since the matter has been pending for a long
D
time we direct that the petitioner will be given the punishment of
being deprived of 75% of salary for the period from the date of
removal to the date of reinstatement and he will be given a severe
warning not to make such mistakes in future but he will get seniority
'k--
and continuity of service as if his service had not been terminated."
E
According to learned counsel for the employer. after having found that
the charges were established the High Court committed an error in interfering
with the quantum of punishment. The scope of such interference is extremely
limited. After having noted that there was no challenge to the findings, there
was no scope for interfering with the quantum of punishment. Some of the . \

F charges were of very serious nature and one of the charges related to fabrication ~
and manipulation of records. It is pointed out that even if a co-delinquent has
been given lesser punishment, same cannot be a ground for interference. The
employee was acting as Assistant Manager in the Bank and committed the
acts of misconduct. Taking into account the higher standard of honesty and
G integrity required by such employees any interference with the quantum of
punishment would amount to misplaced sympathy. According to Mr. Ranjit
Kumar, learned counsel appearing for the employee, there were several
mitigating circumstances. It was categorically urged that there was nci
embezzlement or fraud and there was no loss caused to the Bank. The
allegations of fictitious entries were found not to have been established in a
H criminal case which was initiated·by the Central Bureau of Investigation and
CHAIRMAN & MANA. DIRECTOR. UNITED COMMER. BANK i-. P.C. KAKKAR {PASAYAT.J.] } 039

the employee was acquitted of the charge. Further case on which the High A
Court has placed reliance involved more serious allegations and even if the
allegations so far as other officer M.L. Keshwani and the employee can be
differentiated. yet it has to be noted that the High Court imposed more severe
punishn1ent co1npared to M.L. Kesh\vani.

The scope of interference with quantum of punishment has been the B
subject-matter of various decisions of this Court. Such interfe_rence cannot be
a routine 1natter.

Lord Greene said in 1948 in the famous Wednesbury case (1948 (I)
KB 223) that when a statute gave discretion to an administrator to take a
decision, the scope of judicial review would remain limited. He said that C
interference was not pennissible unless one or the other of the following
conditions was satisfied, namely the order was contrary to law, or relevant
factors were not considered, or irrelevant factors were considered; or the
decision \\>·as one which no reasonable person could have taken. These
principles were consistently followed in the UK and in India to judge the D
validity of administrative action. It is equally well known that in 1983, Lord
Diplock in Council for Civil Services Union v. Minister of Civil Service,
(1983) I AC 768 (called the CCSU case) summarized the principles of judicial
review of adtninistrative action as based upon one or other of the following
viz., illegality, procedui-al irregularity and irrationality. He, however, opined
that "proportionality" was a "future possibility". E

In Om Kumar and Ors. V. Union of India, [2001] 2 sec 386, this Court
observed, inter alia, as follows:

"The principle originated in Prussia in the nineteenth century and
has since been adopted in Germany, Fra)lce and other European F
countries. The European Court of Justice at Luxembourg and the
European Court of Human Rights at Strasbourg have applied the
principle while judging the validity of administrative action. But even
long before that, the Indian Supreme Court has applied the principle
of"proportionality" to legislative action since 1950, as stated in detail G
below.

By "proportionality", we mean the question whether, while
regulating exercise of fundamental rights, the appropriate or least-
restrictive choice of measures has been made by the legislature or the
administrator so as to achieve the object of the legislation or the H
1040 SUPREME COURT REPORTS r2003] I S.C.R.

A purpose of the administrative order, as the case may be. Under the
principle, the court will see that the legislature and the administrative
authority "maintain a proper balance between the adverse effects which
the legislation or the administrative order may have on the rights,
liberties or interests of persons keeping in mind the purpose which
they were intended to serve". The legislature and the administrative
B authority are, however. given an area of discretion or a range of
choices but as to whether the choice made infringes the rights
excess.ively or not is for the court. That is what is meant by
. proportionality.

c xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx

The development of the principle of "strict scrutiny" or
"proportionality" in administrative law in England is, however, recent.
Administrative action was traditionally being tested on Wednesbury
grounds. But in the last few years, administrative action affecting the
D freedom of expression or liberty has been declared invalid in several
cases applying the principle of "strict scrutiny". In the case of these
freedoms, Wednesbury principles are no longer applied. The courts
in England could not expressly apply proportionality in the absence
of the convention but tried to safeguard the rights zealously by treating

E
the said rights as basic to the common la~ and the courts then applied "*
the strict scrutiny test. In the Spycatcher case Attorney General v.
Guardian Newspapers ltd., (No.2) ( 1990) 1 AC I 09 (at pp. 283-
284), Lord Goff stated that there was no inconsistency between the
convention and the common law. In Derbyshire County Council v.
Times Newspapers ltd., ( 1993) AC 534, Lord Keith treated freedom
F of expression as part of common law. Recently, in R. v. Secy. Of
State for Home Deptt., exp. Simms, (1999) 3 All ER 400 (HL), the )......._

right of a prisoner to grant an interview to a journalist was upheld.
treating the right as part of the common law. Lord Hobhouse held
that the policy of the administrator was disproportionate. The need
for a more intense and anxious judicial scrutiny in administrative
G decisions which engage fundamental human rights was re-emphasised
in R. v_. Lord Saville exp (1999) 4 All ER 860 (CA), at pp. 870, 872).
In all these cases, the English Courts applied the "strict scrutiny" test
')...
.
rather than describe the test as one of "propo11ionality". But, in any
event, in respect of these rights "Wednesbury" rule has ceased to
H apply.
CHAIRMAN & MANA. DIRECTOR. UNITED COMMER. BANK r. P.C. KAKK~R [PASA YAT.J.}. 1Q4]

However, th.e principle of ·'strict scrutiny" or ''proportionality" A
and primary review came to be explained in R. v. Sec,1·: of S1u1e for
?
the Home Dept!. ex p Brind (.1991) I AC 696. That case related to
directions given by the Honie Secretary under the Broadcasting Act,
1981 requiring BBC and IBA to refrain fron1 broadcasting ce1tain
1natters through persons who represented organizations \Vhich \Vere.
prescribed under legislation concerning the prevention of terrorism. B
The extent of prohibition was linked with the direct statement made
by the members of the organizations. It did not however, for example,
preclude the broadcasting by such persons through the medium of a
fihn, provided there was a "voice-over" account, paraphrasing what
· they said. The applicant's claim was based directly on the European c
Convention of Human Rights. Lord Bridge noticed that the Convention
rights were not still expressly engrafted into English Jaw but stated
r that. freedom of expression was basic to the Common law and that,
even in the absence of the Convention, English Courts could go into
the question (see p. 748-49).
D
"..... whether the Secretary of State, in the exercise of his discretion,
could reasonably i1npose the restriCtion he has imposed on the
broadcasting organisations''

and that the courts were

"not perfectly entitled to start from the premise that any restriction
E
of the right to freedom of expression requires to be justified and
nothing less than an important public interest will be sufficient to
justify it".

- ...
Lord Templeman also said in the above case that the courts could go
into the question whether a reasonable minister could reasonably have
concluded that the interference with this freedom was justifiable. He
said that "in terms of the Convention" any such interference must be
F

both necessary and proportionate (ibid pp. 750-5 l).

In the famous passage, the seeds of the principle of primary and
G
secondary review by courts were planted in the administrative law by
lord Bridge in the Brind case (1991) I AC 696. Where Convention
-"\' rights were in question the courts. could exercise a right of primary
review. However, the courts would exercise a right of secondary
review based only on Wednesbury principles in cases not affecting
the rights under the Convention. Adverting to cases where fundamental H
1042 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2003] 1 S.C.R.

A freedoms were not invoked and where administrative action was
questioned, it was said that the courts were then confined only to 'a
secondary review while the primary decision would be with the
administrator. Lord Bridge explained the primary and secondary review
as follows:

B "The primary judgment as to whether the patticular competing
public interest justifying the particular restriction imposed falls to
be made by the Secretary of State to whom Parliament has
entrusted the discretion. But, we are entitled to exercise a secondary
judgment by asking whether a reasonable Secretary of State, on
the material before him, could reasonably make the primary
c judgment."

But where an administrative action is challenged as "arbitrary"
under Article 14 on the basis of Royappa [1974] 4 SCC 3 (as in cases i
where punishments in disciplinary cases are challenged), the question
will be whether the administrative order is "rational" or "reasonable"
D and the test then is the Wednesbury test. The courts would then be
confined only to a secondary role and will only have to see whether
the administrator has done well in his primary role, whether he has
acted illegally or has omitted relevant factors from consideration or
has taken irrelevant factors into consideration or whether his view is
E one which no reasonable person could have taken. If his action does
not satisfy these rules, it is to be treated as arbitrary. In G.B. Mahajan
v. Jaigaon Municipal Council, [ 1991] 3 SCC 91 at p. 111
Venkatachaliah, J. (as he then was) pointed out that "reasonableness"
of the administrator under Article 14 in the context of administrative
law has to be judged from the stand point of Wednesbury rules. In
F Tata Cellular v. Union of India, [1994] 6 SCC 651 at pp. 679-80),
Indian Express Newspapers Bombay (P) Ltd. v. Union of India, [1985]
1 SCC 641 at p.691), Supreme Court Employees' Welfare Assn. v.
Union of India, [ 198~] 4 SCC 187 at p. 241 and UP. Financial
Corpn. v. Gem Cap(lndia) (P) ltd., [1993] 2 SCC 299 at p. 307
G while judging whether the administrative action is "arbitrary" under
Article J4 (i.e. otherwise then being discriminatory), this Court has
confined itself to a Wednesbury review always.

The principles explained in the last preceding paragraph in
respect of Article 14 are now to be applied here where the qudstion
H o.f "arbitn;i.riness" of the order of punishment is questioned under
CHAIRMAN&MANA. DIRECTOR, UNITED COMMER. BANK r. P.C. KAKKAR (PASAYAT,J.] l 043

Article 14. A
xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx

Thus, from the above principles and decided cases, it must be
held that where an administrative decision relating to punishment in
disciplinary cases is questioned as "arbitrary" under Article 14, the B
court is confined to Wednesbury principles as a secondary reviewing
authority. The court will not apply proportionality as a primary
reviewi~g court because no issue of fundamental freedoms nor of
discrimination under Article l 4 applies in such a context. The court
while reviewing punishment and if it is satisfied that Wednesbury
principles are violated, it has normally to remit the matter to the C
administrator for a fresh decision as to the quantum of punishment.
Only in rare cases where there ~as been long delay in the time taken
by the disciplinary proceedings and in the time taken in the courts,
and such extreme or rare cases can the court substitute its own view
as to the quantum of purliShment."
D
In B.C. Chatwvedi v. Union of India and Ors., [!995] 6 SCC 749) it
was observed:

"A review of the above legal position would establish that the
disciplinary authority, and on appeal the appellate authority, being
fact-finding authorities have exclusive power to consider the evidence E
with a view to maintain discipline. They are invested with the
discretion to impose appropriate punishment keeping in view the
magnitude or gravity of the misconduct. The High Court/Tribunal,
while exercising the power of judicial review, cannot normally
substitute its own conclusion on penalty and impose some other F
penalty. If the punishment imposed by the disciplinary authority or
the appellate authority shocks the conscience of the High Court/
Tribunal, it would appropriately mould the relief, either. directing the
disciplinary/appellate authority to reconsider the penalty imposed, or
to shorten the litigation, it may itself, in exceptional and rare cases,
impose appropriate punishment with cogent reasons in support G
thereof."

In Union of India and Anr. v. G. Ganayutham, [1997] 7 SCC 463, this
Court summed up the position relating to proportionality in paragraphs 31
and 32, which read as follows:
H
.'-..._

1044 SUPR~E COURT REPORTS P003] I S.C.R.
\ .
A "The current position o( proportionality in administrative law in
England and India can be si\inmarized as follows:
\

(I) To judge, the validity 'of any administrative order or statutory ·
discretion, normally the Wednesbury test is to be applied to find
out if the decision was illegal or suffered. from procedural ·
B improprieties or was one which no sensible decision-maker could,
. on the material before him and within the framework of the law,
have arrived at. The court would consider whether relevant matters
had not been taken into account or whether irrelevant matters had··
been taken into account or whether the action was not b~na fide.
The court would also consider whether the decision was absurd
c or perverse. The court would not however go into the correctness
of the choice made by the. administrator amongst the various
alternatives operi to him. Nor could the court substitute its dedsion
to that of the administrator. This is the Wednesbury (1948 I KB i
223) test.
D (2) The COUit would not interfere with the administrator's
decision unless it was illegal or ~uffered from procedural
. impropriety or was irrational in the sense that it was in outrageous
defiance of logic or moral standards. The possibility of other
tests, including proportionality being brought into English
E admiriistrative law in future is not ruled out. These are the CCSU
(1985 AC 374)principles.
(3)(a) As per Bugdaycay (1987 AC 514), Brind(1991 (I) AC
696) and Smith (1996 (I) All ER 257) as long as the Convention
is not incorporated into English law, the English courts merely
exercise a secondary judgment to find out if the decision~maket
F.
could have, on the material before him, arrived at the primary .. )..___
judgment in the manner he has done .. ·
(3)(b) ·If the Convention is incorporated in England making
available the principle of proportionality, then the English courts
will render primary judgment .on the validity of the administrative
G
action and find out ifthe restriction is disproportionate or excessive
or is not based upon ~ fair balancing of the fundamental freedom
and the need for the restriction thereupon.
(4)(a) The po~ition in our country, in adminiitrative law, where
no fundamental freedoms as aforesaid are involved, is .that the
H
CHAIRMAN & MANA. DIRECTOR, UNITED COMMER. BANK 1·. P.C. K.AKKAR [PASA YAT, J.] l 04 5

courts/tribunals will only play a secondary role while the primary A
judg1nent as to reasonableness will remain. with the executive or
administrative authority. The secondary judgment of the court is
to be based on Wednesbury and CCSU principles as stated by
Lord Green~ and Lord Diplock respectively to find ifthe executive
or administrative authority has reasonably arrived at his decision B
as the primary authority.
(4)(b) Whether in the case of administrative or executive action
affecting fundamental freedoms, the courts in our country will
apply the principle of "proportionality" and assume a primary
role, is left open, to be decided in an appropriate case where such
action is alleged to offend fundamental freedoms. It will be then C
necessary to decide whether the courts will have a primary role
only if the freedoms under Articles I 9, 21 etc. are involved and
not for Article 14.

Finally, we come to the present case. It is not contended before
us that any fundamental freedom is affected. We need not therefore D
go into the question of "proportionality". There is no contention that
the punishment imposed is illegal or vitiated by procedural impropriety,
As to "irrationality°', there is no finding by the Tribunal that the
decision is one which no sensible person who weighed the pros and
cons could have arrived at nor is there a finding, based on material, E
that the punishment is in "outrageous" defiance of logic. Neither
Wednesbury nor CCSU tests are satisfied. We have still to explain
"Ranjit Thakur [1987] 4 SCC 611".

The common thread running through in all these decisions is that the
Court should not interfere with the administrator's decision unless it was F
illogical or suffers from procedural impropriety or was shocking to the
conscience of the Court, in the sense tliat it was in defiance of logic or moral
standards. In view of what has been stated in the Wednesbury's case (supra)
the Court would not go into the correctness of ·the choice made by the
administrator open to him and the Court should not substitute its decision to
that of the administrator. The scope of judicial review is limited to the G
deficiency in decision-making process and not the decision.

To put difference unless the punishment imposed by the Disciplinary
Authority or the Appellate Authority shocks the conscience of the Court/
Tribunal, there is no scope for interference. Further to certain litigations it H
1046 SUPREME COURT REPORTS J2003] 1 S.C.R.

A may, in. exceptional and rare cases, impose appropriate punishment by .
recording cogent reasons in support thereof. In a normal course if the
punishment imposed is shockingly disproportionate it would be appropriate
to direct the Disciplinary Authority or the Appellate Authority to reconsider
the penalty imposed.

B In the case at hand the High Court did not record any reason as to how
and why it found the punishment shockingly disproportionate. Even there is
no discussion on this aspect. The only discernible reason was the punishment
awarded in ML. Keshwani's case. As was observed by this Court in Balbir
Chand v. Food Corporation of India Ltd. and Ors., (1997] 3 SCC 371, even
C if a co-delinquent is given lesser punishment it cannot be a ground for
interference. Even such a plea was not available to be given credence as the
allegations were contextually different.

A Bank officer is required to exercise higher standards of honesty and
i
integrity. He deals with money of the depositors and the customers. Every
D officer/employee of the Bank is required to take all possible steps to protect
the interests of the Bank and to discharge his· duties with utmost integrity,
honesty, devotion and diligence and to do nothing which is unbecoming of
a Bank officer. Good conduct and discipline are inseparable from the
functioning of every officer/employee of the Bank. As was observed by this
E Court in Disciplinary Authority-cu111-Regional Manager v. Nikunja Bihari
Patnaik, [1996] 9 SCC 69, it is no defence available to say that there was no
Joss or profit resulted in case, when the officer/employee acted without
authority. The very discipline of an organization more particularly a Bank is
dependent upon each of its officers and officers acting and operating within
their allotted sphere. Acting beyond one's authority is by itself a breach of
F discipline and is a misconduct. The charges against the employee were not
casual in nature and were serious. These aspects do not appear to have been
kept in view by the High Court.

It needs no emphasis that when a Cou11 feels that the punishment is
shockingly disproportionate, it must record reasons for coming to such a
G conclusion. Mere expression that the punishment is shockingly disprop011ionate
would not meet the requirement of law. Even in respect of administrative
orders Lord Denning MR. in Breen v. Amalgamated Engineering Union,
(1971) I All E.R. 1148 observed "The giving of reasons is one of the
fundamentals of good administration". In Alexander Machine1y (Dudley) Ltd
H v. Crabtree, ( 1974) LCR 120 it was observed: "Failure to give reasons amounts
CHAIRMAN & MANA_ DIRECTOR. UNITED COMMER. BANK r.P.C.KAKKAR {PASAYAT.J.] } 04 7

to denial of justice". Reasons are live links between the mind of the decision A
taker to the controversy in question and the decision or conclusion arrived
at ... Reasons substitute subjectivity by objectivity. The e1nphasis on recording
reasons is that if the decision reveals the "inscrutable face of the sphinx ... it
can. by its silence, render it vil1ually i1npossible for the Courts to perfonn
their appellate function or exercise the power of judicial review in adjudging B
the validity of the decision. Right to reason is an indispensable part of a
sound judicial system. Another rationale is that·the affected party can know
why the decision has gone against him. One of the salutary require1nents of
natural justice is spelling out reasons for the order made, in other words, a
speaking out. The "inscrutable face of a sphinx" is ordinarily incongruous
with a judicial or quasi-judicial performance. But as noted above, the C
proceedings commenced in 1981. The employee was placed under suspension
from 1983 to 1988 and has superannuated in 2002. Acquittal in the criminal
case is not determinative of the com1nission of misconduct or otherwise, and
it is open to the authorities to proceed with the disciplinary proceedings,
not\vithstanding acquittal in criminal case. It per se would not entitle the
employee to claim immunity from the proceedings. At the most the factum D
of acquittal may be a circutnstance to be Considered \Vhile awarding

.. punishment. It would depend upon facts of each case and even that cannot
have universal application .

In the peculiar circumstances of the case, it would be appropriate to E
send the matter back to the High Court for fresh consideration. The High
Com1 shall only consider the punishment aspect, treating all other matters to
be closed and to have become final. The appeal filed by the employer is
accordingly disposed of while that filed by tL employee is dismissed.

N.J. Appeals disposed of.