Extensive reach of natural justice and the doctrine of bias

The doctrine of bias serves as a fundamental pillar of natural justice, originating from the foundational legal maxim that no person shall act as a judge in their own cause. The primary objective of this doctrine is to ensure that adjudicatory and selection functions are performed with complete impartiality, entirely free from preconceived notions or private motivations. It is not mandatory to establish actual bias or prove that an authority acted with deliberate improper motives to vitiate a decision-making process. The legal standard requires demonstrating a reasonable likelihood or apprehension of bias, which is evaluated objectively from the standpoint of a reasonable person or the aggrieved party. Whenever existing facts and circumstances create a legitimate suspicion regarding the fairness and independence of an evaluating authority, the entire proceedings stand vitiated for lack of impartiality. This rule applies with equal force to administrative decisions, selection boards, and quasi-judicial determinations to preserve public confidence in governance. (Captain Pramod Kumar Bajaj v. Union of India and Anr. | 2026 INSC 101)