Overview:

Administrative law is that branch of public law that deals with administrative actions, and the
functions of administrative and quasi-administrative agencies. The principles of
administrative law form a core aspect of governance in several governmental institutions and
public bodies. It can be quite difficult to contain the subject, as it touches on various aspects
of governance and the issues concerned with the same.
There are several principles which are fundamental to administrative law, in so much as they
are the principles to which administrative bodies are supposed to adhere to and function with
these include but are not limited to the Principles of Natural Justice, Rule of Law as well as
the principles of quasi-judicial and quasi-legislative powers.
Here, we get to practically examining the various paradigms of these fundamental principles
of administrative law in a case study. The law cannot be seen in isolation from the
applications it possesses and hence, the aim of this project will be to study whether the
application of the fundamental principles of administrative law is being followed by
universities.
However, we will restrict our study to the West Bengal National University of Juridical
Sciences, Kolkata (also known as WBNUJS or simply, NUJS) and through a thorough
examination of the rules and regulations governing this university, we seek to recognize
whether the principles of administrative law have been followed and recognized by the
university in its administration.
This will be achieved through a study of the various regulations governing the functioning of
the university and its internal governance. For instance, the rules that are laid down for the
functioning of the bodies such as the Academic Council, Executive Council etc. It may be
noted at this juncture that the university has not provided a good number of guidelines as per
mandatory disclosure guidelines on its website, and hence RTI applications will be filed as
necessary to obtain the same and analyse the same for any violation of administrative law
principles.

Research Question:
1. What are the standards by which the University determines whether or not a person
has dressed decently as per the hostel regulations?

Objectives of Research:
The obejctives of this research is to determine whether with regards to the provisions of the
TNNLS Act and the regulations framed by the University, are in consonance with the
principles of Administrative Law. For the same purpose, the researcher would look at the
provisions of the TNNLS Act. Moreover, the particular issue the researcher will look at
would be a regulation that mandates students to dress decently in the halls of residence as
well as the mess, by pitching against the contours of decency and right to privacy under
constitutional law. The latter would be taken to as touchstones whereas

Rationale of Research Paper:

The whole rationale of this research paper is directed at bringing regulations under scrutiny
for the purpose of administrative law and the compliance of its fundamentals. Toward
achieving that end, the TNNLS Act has been brought into picture and each and every
provision of the said act shall be examined. Various Supreme Court cases, Statutes and other
such tools have been incorporated into the research to examine the act. For the particular
questions being dealt with, vagueness remains the central problem plaguing the
administrative action herein and it is therefore important to examine all specific issues that lie
therein and also examine them on the touchstone of administrative law principles.

Scheme of the Research Paper:

This paper has been appraoched with regard to the sub issues thereunder. For example, it will
deal with the constitutional approach to this provision and next it will look at the question of
unguided discretionary power under Administrative Law. Thereafter, the researcher shall
discuss various recommendations having looked at the issues.

Research Methodology:
The method employed for the study undertaken in this paper is both, empirical and doctrinal.
All the information herein has been procured from the website of the TNNLS University.
This paper shall also be analytical as opposed to being of descriptive nature. Various legal
search engines, Administrative Law commentaries, article and journals were looked at for
assistance during the course of this research.

Review of Literature:
Books:
1. Elliott M, Beatson J, and Matthews M, Beatson, Matthews, and Elliotts
Administrative Law: Text and materials (4th edn, Oxford University Press 2011)
This book has been used to gain a deeper understanding of the practical aspects of
administrative law, and in identifying the various fundamental principles of administrative
laws. Policy concerns and case laws elucidated within the same provide a practical context of
the issues affecting administrative action and that shall help us in analysing the rules
governing the university in question.
2. Massey IP, Administrative Law (7th edn, Eastern Book Company 2008)
This book has been used to gain a more Indian perspective into the administrative law in both
the past and the contemporary times and also to help analyse the judicial pronouncements of
the courts on the issues of the administrative law. This is to help understand the legal position
and tenability of the regulations of NUJS as per the existing Indian law.
3. Craig P, Administrative law (6th edn, Sweet & Maxwell 2008)

The aforementioned book has been employed to get an insight into the principles of natural
justice, and the application of the same in the UK as well its application over the centuries.
This book will be utilised to comprehend and put into context the fundamentals of
administrative law here.
4. Dicey AV and Allison JWF, The law of the constitution (Oxford University Press,
USA 2014)
This ground-breaking book brought into the everyday diction the principle of rule of law in
governance across the globe, and so it has been used to appreciate the principles of rule of
law for the purpose of this paper.