India, Jan. 22 -- The rule of law mandates that public power must be exercised within the bounds of procedure, fairness, and rationality even in pursuit of the most legitimate ends, the Bombay High Court said on Monday while striking down orders passed by the Maharashtra State Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Board in December 2025, cancelling higher secondary certificate (HSC) examination centres at 15 educational institutes in Marathwada over stray incidents of copying by students.

The division bench of justices Vibha Kankanwadi and Hiten Venegaonkar was hearing petitions filed by the 15 educational institutes, challenging the education board's order. Such drastic action could not have been taken against the institutes over str...