Arbitrariness

noun (uncountable)

/ˈɑːbɪtrərɪnəs/

The quality of being based on random choice, personal whim, or uncontrolled discretion rather than on any principle, rule, or reason; absence of rational, principled constraint on the exercise of power. In Indian constitutional law, arbitrariness in State action violates Article 14 (equality before law and equal protection of laws). The Supreme Court in E.P. Royappa v. State of Tamil Nadu (1974) expanded Article 14 to prohibit arbitrariness as such, holding that 'equality is antithetic to arbitrariness'. This doctrine was reaffirmed in Maneka Gandhi v. Union of India (1978).

✍️ Usage in a UPSC answer

The doctrine established in E.P. Royappa v. State of Tamil Nadu (1974) — that arbitrariness in State action is itself a violation of Article 14 — has been deployed by the Supreme Court to strike down unreasoned government orders, capricious transfers of officers, and discriminatory licensing decisions.

Synonyms

capriciousnesswhimsicalityirrationalitydespotismwilfulnessrandomness

Antonyms

rationalityprincipled actionrule of lawconsistencydue process

🌱 Word Family

arbitrary (adj), arbitrarily (adv), arbitrate (verb), arbitration (noun), arbiter (noun), arbitrator (noun)

🔡 Root

Latin arbiter = one who goes to a place as a witness, judge, umpire; arbitrarius = depending on the will of an arbiter, uncertain

📜 Etymology

From Latin arbitrarius 'depending on the will of an arbiter, uncertain, capricious', from arbiter 'one who witnesses, a judge', from ad- 'to' + baetere 'to come, go' — literally 'one who approaches (to judge)'. By Late Latin the sense had shifted to 'depending purely on will, capricious'. English arbitrary is attested from the mid-15th century; arbitrariness as an abstract noun from the 17th century.

🧠 Memory Hook

ARBITRARiness comes from ARBITER — a judge whose ruling depends entirely on his OWN WILL, not on fixed rules. An ARBITRARY judge is one who rules as he PLEASES, not as the law PRESCRIBES. The 'arbitrary' tyrant arbitrates by whim alone.

🏛️ Governance 📖 Seen in: Good Governance — Metrics, Indices & G...

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