It is imbibed in the European Droit Administratif and is one of the most important legal principles in the ‘European Administrative Law’. The ‘Doctrine of proportionality’ is a European origin. ORIGIN AND DEVELOPMENT: FROM REASONABLENESS TO PROPORTIONALITY: The doctrine of proportionality entails that an administrative decision, which is taken through the exercise of discretionary powers, must be in the extent to the consequences that follow from implementing such decisions. One such principle is the ‘Doctrine of proportionality’. Hence, with the quick development of administrative law and the need to control the misuse of discretion granted to the exercising authority, the courts have evolved various doctrines and principles that enable them to interfere in an administrative discretion when it is irrational, unreasonable or entails abuse of power. But with the development of the principles through case laws, courts also started controlling the way in which such a power can be exercised by an administrative authority. Earlier, the courts used to control only the extent and prerogative of the power exercised. These powers are capable of being abused hence, they have to undergo the acid test of judicial review.

It is an essential principle of law that power must be practiced inside the Four walls of law and the legal limit prescribed, more so when such a power is exercised at a discretion by an administrative authority. The purpose of law in any society is to give power and to control the excess of that.

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