In Brief
The Supreme Court addressed whether the Kerala High Court had exceeded its jurisdiction in a writ petition concerning licence fee enhancement for land leased to a religious trust. While the High Court correctly upheld the Board's fee increase from ₹227.25 to ₹1.5 lakh annually, it went further by directing refixation of fees under a prior judgment and ordering a vigilance inquiry—neither sought in the petition. The Court held that such surprise directions beyond the petition's scope, issued without notice, violated natural justice and created a chilling effect on access to justice. The Court set aside these directions while upholding the fee hike and directed the appellants to pay outstanding arrears.
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