Breach of natural justice led to quashing of an order passed without notice or hearing, with liberty to decide afresh.

An order passed without notice to the petitioner or an opportunity of hearing was treated as procedurally infirm for breach of natural justice, and the Court confined its intervention to that defect without examining the merits of the dispute. The impugned order was set aside and quashed, while the authority was left free to pass a fresh order after giving due notice and hearing to the petitioner.

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Issues: Whether the impugned order was liable to be set aside for having been passed without notice to the petitioner and in violation of principles of natural justice.

Analysis: The order challenged in the writ application was passed without affording the petitioner notice of the proceedings or an opportunity of hearing. The Court confined its interference to this procedural infirmity and expressly did not enter into the merits of the rival contentions.

Conclusion: The impugned order was set aside and quashed for breach of natural justice, and the authority was left free to pass a fresh order after giving notice and an opportunity of hearing to the petitioner.

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