| Administrative Law

In a modern welfare State the functions of the Government have increased manifold. The State undertakes various social and economic activities to meet public needs. This increase in governmental functions is accompanied with more power and discretion in the hands of the executive branch of the Government and its various instrumentalities and agencies. Unrestrained power may be misused or abused to the detriment of rights and liberties of people. Administrative Law is that branch of public law which aims to check the abuse or misuse of Governmental power and keep the executive and its instrumentalities within the limits of their power.

Administrative Law is primarily a judge-made law and the course will inter alia cover study of different principles of Administrative Law which have been evolved by courts to prevent arbitrary use of power and protect the rights of the citizens.

The objective of this course is to give students an understanding of the evolution of administrative law, to make them appreciate key concepts and principles of administrative law and to help them understand the working of the administrative institutions within the norms of good governance and accountability.

Administrative Law is a mandatory course under the Bar Council. It is a foundational course but prior knowledge of Constitutional Law is essential to understand the nuances of Administrative Law principles.

The teaching methodology adopted for this course is theoretical discussions of the fundamental principles of Administrative Law and is largely based on reading of case laws and secondary materials. The pedagogical method is a combination of lectures and socratic discussions.