Order

Special leave granted.

2. This is an appeal preferred by the appellant who was an employee of the respondent Corporation. The appellant joined as a Junior Clerk in 1962 and by the year 1986 he was working as Joint General Manager. He was issued a charge sheet on 22.7.92 in respect of various items of alleged misconduct. The disciplinary proceedings were initiated on the same day under Regulation 44 of the Orissa Financial State Corporation Staff Regulations, 1975 and the appellant was suspended with immediate effect. For various reasons, which it is not necessary to mention here, the disciplinary enquiry was not concluded before the date of the appellant’s superannuation, which took place on 30th June, 1995.

3. The appellant was relieved on 1st July, 1995 by the Corporation “without prejudice to the claims of the Corporation.” Thereafter the question arose in regard to the continuance of the disciplinary en­quiry for the purpose of reduction of retiral benefits payable to the appellant. The appellant filed a writ petition in the High Court of Orissa contending that once the appellant had retired on 30.6.95, the disciplinary proceedings could not be continued even for the purpose