In Brief
A judicial officer dismissed for misconduct in land acquisition cases challenged her dismissal. The High Court upheld her removal, finding the compensation awards "shocking blunders" suggesting dishonesty. The Supreme Court allowed her appeal and set aside the dismissal. The Court held that misconduct cannot be inferred from the end result of judicial orders alone; it requires explicit proof of extraneous considerations or improper conduct in the decision-making process. Since no such evidence existed and a higher court had actually affirmed (and enhanced) one of the contested orders, the charges collapsed, and the officer was reinstated with consequential benefits.
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