Supreme Court of India

Common Cause, A Registered Society v. Union of India & Ors.

Neutral citation

Reported as [1999] 3 S.C.R. 1279

Decided 3 August 1999

INSC stands for INDIAN SUPREME COURT. A neutral citation scheme assigned by the Court itself, so a judgment can be cited without depending on a commercial law reporter. INSC is the neutral citation scheme assigned by the Supreme Court, so a judgment can be cited without depending on a commercial law reporter.

16 Supreme Court benches have cited this judgment.

What the Court ordered

In view of the above, the conduct of the petitioner in making allotments of petrol outlets was atrocious, specially those rµade in favour of the Members, Oil Selection Board or their son, etc., and reflects a: wanton exercise of power by the petitioner.

Judgment, page 78

From the headnote

Administrative Law : Public Functionary-Minister-Allotment of petrol pumps out of discretionary quota-Cancellation by Supreme Court on the ground of arbitrary exercise of power-Imposition of exemplary damages of rupees fifty lakhs on the Minister-Held not valid-Direction to CB.I to investigate offence of criminal breach of trust or any other offence-Held not legal. Constitution of India, 1950 : Articles 226 and 32-Public Law-Private Law-Remedies-Violation of fundamental rights-Remedy available in public law-Also available in cases of torts. Judicial Review-Minister-Allotment of petrol pumps

Authorities it was built on

1973 E. P. Royappa v. State of Tamil Nadu & Anr. cited by 139
1993 Smt. Nilabati Behera Alias Laut Behera (through the Supreme Court Legal Aid Committee) v. State of Orissa and Ors. cited by 50
1977 Radhakrishna Agarwal & Ors. v. State of Bihar & Ors. cited by 11
1963 Jayantilal Amrit Lal Shodhan v. F.N. Rana and Others cited by 10
1996 City of Nagpur Corporation v. M/s. Khemchand Khushaldas and Sons and Ors. cited by 9
1964 Kasturilal Ralia Ram Jain v. Tiie State of Uttar Pradesh cited by 6
1996 Cycle Corporation of India Ltd. v. T.I. Raleigh Industries Pvt. Ltd. and Ors. cited by 3

Where later benches applied it

2023 Kaushal Kishor v. State of Uttar Pradesh & Ors. relied on
2020 Vidya Drolia and Others v. Durga Trading Corporation relied on
2011 State of Punjab v. Davinder Pal Singh Bhullar & Ors. Etc relied on
2011 Delhi Jal Board v. National Campaign for Dignity and Rights of Sewerage and Allied Workers & Others relied on
2025 IN RE: MEPUNG TADAR BAGE, MEMBER, ARUNACHAL PRADESH PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION versus referred to
2025 IN RE: ZUDPI JUNGLE LANDS versus referred to
2025 Rajeeb Kalita v. Union of India & Ors. referred to
2024 IN RE: DIRECTIONS IN THE MATTER OF DEMOLITION OF STRUCTURES versus referred to
2023 Anil Agarwal Foundation Etc. Etc. v. State of Orissa and Ors. referred to
2018 Ruby Tour Services Pvt. Ltd. v. Union of India referred to
2018 Government of Nct of Delhi v. Union of India & Another referred to
2018 United Air Travel Services through its Proprietor A.D.M. Anwar Khan v. Union of India through Secretary (ministry of External Affairs) referred to
2017 State of Gujarat and Another v. The L.R.C.G. and Others referred to
2016 Pooja Pal v. Union of India and Ors. referred to
2013 Lalita Kumari v. Govt. of U.P. and Ors. referred to
2012 Akhilesh Yadav Etc. Etc. v. Vishwanath Chaturvedi & Ors. mentioned

Of those, 4 relied on · 11 referred to · 1 mentioned

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