In Brief
An Assistant Commissioner of Customs was transferred from Mumbai to Bhubaneswar in September 2019. He challenged the transfer before the Central Administrative Tribunal, which dismissed his plea. He then filed a writ petition before the High Court of Bombay, which admitted the petition and stayed the transfer, citing his spouse's health condition and retention of headquarters. The Supreme Court held that the High Court exceeded its jurisdiction under Article 226 by restraining a lawful transfer order based on personal hardship without finding the transfer mala fide or unlawful. The Court allowed the appeal, vacated the stay, and permitted the officer to make representations if he reported at the new posting.
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