Constitutional impermissibility of departmental vendetta and harassment

The rule of law forms the bedrock of a constitutional democracy, and targeted departmental vendetta against a public servant directly undermines the values of a regulated social order. Sustained administrative persecution, including the manufacturing of baseless charge memorandums, withholding of vigilance clearances, and placing employees on lists of suspected integrity without justification, represents a malicious exercise of power. Public officers are expected to execute their functions with objectivity and detachment rather than pursuing personal grudges or institutional ego against employees who seek legal redress. When state instrumentalities engage in persistent obstructionism to deny an individual their lawful entitlements or appointments recommended by selection committees, the courts will issue strong corrective directives to restore justice. (Captain Pramod Kumar Bajaj v. Union of India and Anr. | 2026 INSC 101)