STATE OF PUNJAB vs V.K. KHANNA .

The Supreme Court emphasized that fairness in administrative action is context-dependent and synonymous with reasonableness, as established in various precedents. The Court held that the withdrawal of a CBI inquiry notification by the new Punjab Government, shortly after its formation, raised questions of fairness and potential malice, as it involved allegations of acquiring assets beyond known sources of income. The High Court's finding of improper motive was upheld, reinforcing the principle that bias must be supported by cogent evidence to substantiate claims of malice.