Undertaking Material and Technical Activities by Public Administration Bodies and the Right of an Individual to Be Heard

Abstract

The right of the individual to be heard is a principle that relates to both the right to a fair trial and the right to a trial. The adjudicating entity is required, regardless of whether it is a court or a public administration body, to enable the active participation of the entity in the proceedings. The right of an individual to be heard in the context of administrative law relates mainly to the procedural situation of a party to administrative proceedings. In jurisdictional administrative proceedings, a party is guaranteed a number of procedural tools to protect its rights. First of all, the party has the opportunity to actively participate in the ongoing administrative process. Provisions of administrative procedural law allow for the submission of evidence applications, explanations, participation in the taking of evidence, as well as access to the files of a pending administrative case. The right of the individual to be heard to a limited extent should also apply to material and technical activities. An individual should be guaranteed at least minimal procedural protection in a situation where administrative bodies perform material and technical activities directly affecting their legal situation.