CourtSupreme Court of India
Decision2 December 1977
CollectionConstitutional, Writ & Administrative Law
FormatCRUX Case Note
The Crux
An administrative or statutory order cannot ordinarily be improved later through fresh reasons supplied in affidavits or litigation.
What the Court held
The Court held that where a statutory functionary makes an order on stated grounds, its validity must be judged by those grounds and cannot be supplemented by later explanations.
Why it matters
This principle is especially important in judicial review of speaking orders, regulatory decisions, municipal action and other exercises of public power.
CRUX practice note
This note isolates the proposition most likely to matter in practice. The precise ratio, factual limits and subsequent treatment of the authority should always be checked against the judgment itself before professional reliance.
Official source
The link below is to the Supreme Court of India’s official website or judgment repository.
Official Supreme Court source
Mohinder Singh Gill & Anr. v. Chief Election Commissioner — official court source
The judgment text remains controlling. This CRUX note is an editorial summary for general information.
This Insight is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.