Doctrine of Legitimate Expectation

Legitimate expectation doctrine protects citizens from arbitrary administrative actions requiring fair hearing before policy changes

The doctrine of legitimate expectation, introduced to Indian jurisprudence in State Of Kerala vs. K.G. Madhavan Pillai (1988), protects individuals from arbitrary administrative actions when authorities create reasonable expectations through representations or consistent practices. The doctrine requires expectations to be reasonable, based on clear authorized representations, and legitimate under law. Public authorities cannot defeat legitimate expectations without overriding public policy reasons and must provide fair hearing opportunities. The doctrine operates both procedurally and substantively, ensuring administrative fairness while recognizing that public interest remains supreme. It forms part of Article 14's protection against arbitrary state action and requires authorities to demonstrate public interest when modifying policies that affect established expectations.