It means no-one should be a judge in his own case. It is a principle of natural justice that no person can judge a case in which they have an interest. It is very strictly applied to any appearance of a possible bias, even if there is actually none. 'Justice must not only be done but must be seen to be done'.
The legal effect of breach of natural justice is normally to stop the proceedings and render any judgement invalid; it should be quashed or appealed, but may be remitted for a valid rehearing.
If one sits in his own case as a judge and decides the case, the justice delivery system will never be free from criticism. So, it is imperative that no one shall be a judge in a case where s/he is directly or indirectly a party.
The interest can be of three types:
- Pecuniary
- Personal
- Subject Matter
Any financial interest of the adjudicatory authority in the matter would vitiate the adjudication. The judge may be directly/indirectly related to a party due to which he will take biased decision. A judge may have a bias in the subject matter which means that he himself is a party, or has some direct connection with the litigation.
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