Court Criticizes Bihar Government for Arbitrary Reduction Without Following Natural Justice Principles
In a significant judgment, the Patna High Court has reinstated the Y+ security cover for Rajesh Ranjan, also known as Pappu Yadav, a sitting Member of Parliament from Purnia Lok Sabha Constituency. The court found the Bihar Government's decision to scale down his security from Y+ to Y category arbitrary and lacking adherence to the principles of natural justice, thus unsustainable in law.
The judgment, delivered by Justice Jitendra Kumar, came in response to a writ petition filed by Yadav, who cited persistent threats to his life from criminal gangs, including the Lawrence Bishnoi and Chhotu Yadav gangs. The petitioner argued that the reduction of his security cover was made without consulting him or any security agencies, violating his fundamental right to life and liberty under Article 21 of the Indian Constitution.
The court noted that the decision to downgrade the security was taken based on a report from the Superintendent of Police, Purnia, which did not conclusively show a diminished threat perception. Furthermore, the State Security Committee did not seek inputs from the petitioner or other security agencies before making its recommendation.
Justice Kumar emphasized that decisions affecting a person's rights must be transparent, fair, and accountable, reflecting due application of mind with recorded reasons. The absence of such reasons, he stated, renders the order arbitrary. The court also rejected arguments that the petitioner should have amended his writ to challenge the September 23, 2025 order, noting that the order was not communicated to Yadav until the court hearing.
The court's judgment underscored the High Court's powers under Article 226 to grant relief necessary to remedy injustice, even if not specifically prayed for, provided it is rooted in the established facts and causes no prejudice to the respondents.
In its directive, the court ordered the Bihar Government to restore Yadav's Y+ security status and instructed the Home Secretary to reassess his security needs by inviting threat inputs from the petitioner and security agencies, ensuring a reasoned and lawful decision.
This ruling reaffirms the judiciary's role in upholding constitutional rights and ensuring governmental decisions are made within the framework of law and fairness.
Bottom line:-
Principles of Natural Justice must be adhered to in decisions involving scaling down security cover, as they impact fundamental rights under Article 21 of the Constitution.
Statutory provision(s): Article 21, Article 226, Principles of Natural Justice
Rajesh Ranjan @ Pappu Yadav v. Union of India, (Patna) : Law Finder Doc id # 2901959
