Reasoned administrative orders required where parity claims are raised in delayed benefit applications; rejection remitted for fresh consideration.

Administrative decisions affecting civil benefits must state reasons within the order itself and must address relevant submissions, including any claim of parity. Here, the rejection of condonation for delayed filing of Transportation and Marketing Assistance applications was found inadequately reasoned because it did not meaningfully engage with the applicant's specific grievance or the assertion that similarly placed entities had obtained relief. The rejection was therefore set aside and the matter remitted to the review committee for fresh reconsideration and a reasoned order in accordance with law.

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Issues: Whether the rejection of the petitioner's request for condonation of delay in filing two TMA applications was liable to be set aside for want of reasons and for failure to consider the petitioner's claim of parity with similarly situated applicants.

Analysis: The petitioner sought condonation for delay in submitting online applications for Transportation and Marketing Assistance under Chapter 7A of the Foreign Trade Policy 2015-2020. The competent committee rejected the request, and the review committee maintained the rejection. The reasons recorded in both decisions were found to be inadequate, as they did not meaningfully engage with the petitioner's specific grievance, including the contention that similarly placed entities had been granted relief. Administrative orders affecting rights and benefits must contain reasons within the order itself, and such reasons cannot be supplied later. The absence of a reasoned consideration of the relevant submissions and the claim of parity rendered the decision vulnerable.

Conclusion: The rejection was not sustained. The matter was remitted to the review committee for reconsideration and for passing a well-reasoned order in accordance with law.

Final Conclusion: The petition succeeded to the extent of securing a fresh, reasoned reconsideration of the petitioner's claim by the review committee.

Ratio Decidendi: Administrative decisions affecting civil benefits must disclose the reasons for the conclusion reached, and failure to deal with the relevant submissions and parity claims warrants reconsideration.

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