Natural justice in adjudication requires a fair chance to reply; denial of effective opportunity vitiates the order.

An adjudication order is vitiated where the noticee is denied a fair and effective opportunity to file a reply and defend the show cause notice. Although the appellants had sought adjournment and time to respond, no meaningful further opportunity was granted before the matter was decided. The mere gap between the hearing date and the order did not cure the procedural defect. The order was therefore unsustainable for breach of natural justice and liable to be set aside.

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Issues: Whether the adjudication order was vitiated for denial of fair opportunity and breach of natural justice inasmuch as the appellants were not given time to file a reply and defend the show cause notice.

Analysis: The appellants had sought adjournment and time to reply, but no further meaningful opportunity was granted before the matter was decided. The gap between the hearing date and the date of the order did not justify proceeding without allowing the appellants to respond. The denial of an effective chance to file a reply and contest the matter amounted to a failure of natural justice.

Conclusion: The adjudication order was unsustainable for breach of natural justice and was liable to be set aside in favour of the appellants.

Ratio Decidendi: An adjudication order passed without giving the noticee a fair and effective opportunity to file a reply and defend the case is vitiated by breach of natural justice and must be set aside.

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