Delegated administrative power can be implemented through authorised ministerial acts; ejectment notices were upheld as valid implementation.

A delegated administrative power may be carried out through authorisation of a subordinate officer for ministerial or ancillary acts, even though essential legislative functions cannot be further delegated. On the statutory scheme described, the Board could delegate powers to the Chairman, and the Chairman could authorise an officer to issue ejectment notices after the competent authority had already decided to terminate the lease. The notice was treated as an step implementing that decision, not as a fresh exercise of the power to terminate. The notices were therefore held valid, there was no impermissible sub-delegation, and the challenge failed.

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Issues: Whether the ejectment notices issued by the Land Manager of the Port Trust were jurisdiction for want of authority, and whether the delegation/authorisation made by the Chairman amounted to impermissible sub-delegation.

Analysis: The settled principle that a delegate cannot further delegate does not apply in the same manner to administrative or ministerial functions as it does to essential legislative functions. Under the statutory scheme, the Board could delegate powers to the Chairman, and the Chairman could, in implementation of the decision already taken by him, authorise an officer to perform ancillary acts such as issuing notices. The notice in question was issued only after the competent authority had decided to terminate the lease, and the issuance of the notice was treated as a ministerial step in execution of that decision, not as a fresh exercise of the delegated power to terminate the lease. The provisions governing delegation and execution of contracts also supported this conclusion.

Conclusion: The ejectment notices were valid and not without jurisdiction; there was no impermissible sub-delegation, and the challenge failed.

Final Conclusion: The notices issued by the authorised officer were upheld as a lawful implementation of the Chairman's decision, and the petitions were dismissed.

Ratio Decidendi: A delegated administrative power may be implemented through authorisation of subordinate officers for ministerial or ancillary acts, but essential legislative functions cannot be sub-delegated.

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