JUDGMENT

Rajendra Babu, J.-The respondent challenged the order of termination effected by means of striking out his name from the muster roll of the appellant-Bank by a writ petition filed in the High Court of Punjab & Haryana. The respondent had joined the service of the appellant-Bank at Gwalior on 18.4.1978 as Apprentice and was regularly appointed as Clerk-cum-Cashier with effect from 18.12.1978. He claimed that on account of very serious eye ailment he had been taking leave often and on and he had such ailment even in the year 1993-94 and after obtaining a fitness certificate from a doctor he submitted his joining report to the Branch Manager on 4.4.1994 which was not accepted by him and, therefore, he submitted an application to the higher authorities of the Bank. In the meanwhile, however, by a notice dated 12.3.1994 the respondent was asked to explain his unauthorised absence after the expiry of sanctioned leave. The respondent, however, claimed to have appeared before the competent authority to permit him to join duty but no order was passed. On the other hand, an order dated 18.4.1994 came to be passed informing him of the termination of his services in the manner stated