Important Legal Definitions

A form of bias arising from personal friendship, kinship, professional hostility, or animosity between the adjudicator and one of the litigants, creating a reasonable apprehension of partiality.

In State of U.P. v. Mohammad Nooh, a presiding departmental inquiry officer stepped down from the bench, gave testimony as a prosecution witness against the delinquent constable, and then returned to the bench to pronounce the dismissal order; the Supreme Court set aside the dismissal.