M P JAIN & SN JAIN- PRINCIPLES OF ADMINISTRATIVE LAW 5th Edition 2007 in Royal Size Paper Back a legend in the world of Administrative Law in India having been revised by Justice G.P. Singh (Former Chief Justice of M.P. High Court and Author of Principles of Statutory Interpretation) and Alok Aradhe (Advocate, M.P. High Court). Administrative Law has been growing very rapidly in India. This is an inevitable consequence of the expansion of state intervention in our daily lives. Virtually no facet of modern life remains untouched by administrative activity.

Since the publication of last edition in 1985, a number of significant judicial pronouncements have been made, the main thrust of these being to strengthen procedural and substantive safeguards vis-a-vis the administration which constitutes the grand design of Administrative Law. To begin with, judges were slow in responding to the challenging problems generated by the modern proliferating administrative process. Reasons—judicial conservatism and traditional and in-built restraints within the legal process. But the courts have gradually been able to shed their hesitation and inhibition and are now boldly evolving new principles of administrative behaviour and sharpening their old tools to control administrative process. A student of Administrative Law can regard this period as the most creative in the annals of the Indian Judiciary. As a result of this judicial creativity, Administrative Law can now be said to have come of age in India. It is a tribute to the Indian judiciary that it is playing a dynamic and creative role in developing Administrative Law. However, it may also be true to say that judicial approach has not always been consistent and informed by a liberal tendency and, at times, one still comes across cases which seek to take the law backwards and are hard to reconcile with the new liberal orientation. But this is the price one has to pay for judge-made law which Administrative Law primarily remains so far in India.

The present book fully takes note of the various developments in Indian Administrative Law since the last edition. This is not however a mere up-dated version of the earlier edition. As compared with the earlier edition, this edition incorporates many substantial changes : several chapters have been completely rewritten and expanded; several topics have been discussed in greater detail and depth; some chapters have been re-arranged; and some new lines of investigation have been undertaken like enactment of Right to Information Act, 2005 which will promote transparency and accountability in the working of every public authority. Section 4(d) of the Act casts an obligation on every public authority to provide reasons for its administrative or quasi-judicial decisions to affected persons.