Natural justice requires hearing before adverse action on G-Card surrender, issue or renewal affects the parties.

A direction to surrender a G-Card that materially affected the rights of a Custom House Agent and the petitioner could not be sustained without prior notice and an effective opportunity of hearing. The court applied the principles of natural justice and held that fairness required both affected parties to be heard before any adverse administrative action was taken. The impugned letter was set aside, and the respondents were directed to hear the parties and pass a fresh order on surrender, issue, or renewal of the G-Card.

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Issues: Whether the direction requiring surrender of the G-Card could be sustained without affording an opportunity of hearing to the Custom House Agent and the petitioner.

Analysis: The impugned direction materially affected the rights of both the Custom House Agent and the petitioner. In such circumstances, fairness required that they be given notice and an effective opportunity to meet the proposed administrative action before any adverse order was made. The absence of hearing rendered the action inconsistent with the principles of natural justice.

Conclusion: The impugned letter was set aside and the respondents were directed to afford an opportunity of hearing and pass a fresh order on surrender, issue, or renewal of the G-Card.

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