In Brief
The Supreme Court upheld the constitutional validity of The Punjab State Agricultural Marketing Board (Sale and transfer of Plots) (First Amendment) Rules, 2008 under Article 14 of the Constitution. While affirming the Rules' validity, the Court held that strict compliance can be relaxed when marginal deficiencies result from circumstances beyond the dealer's control, such as the proprietor's hospitalization. The Court emphasized that laws must be applied equitably to avoid injustice, permitting only technical violations to be condoned, not those affecting substantive compliance. The Board was directed to reconsider cases with marginal deficiencies caused by uncontrollable circumstances."
The lawyer headnote and full judgment text are available to registered users.