JUDGMENT

RANGANATHAN, J. :— A very short question as to the interpretation of the Service regulations of the appellant bank comes up for consideration in this appeal. The relevant service regulation is Regulation No. 20 which reads as under :-

"20.(1) Subject to sub-regulation (3) of regulation 16, the bank may terminate the services of any officer by giving him months notice in writing or by paying him three months emoluments in lieu thereof.

(2) No officer shall resign from the service of the bank otherwise than on the expiry of three months from the service on the bank of a notice in writing of such resignation. Provided further that the competent authority may reduce the period of three months, or remit the requirement of notice."

2. The respondent, a permanent officer in the bank, sent a communication to the bank on 21st January, 1986. By this letter he purported to resign from the service of the bank due to personal reasons. He added that the date of receipt of the letter should be treated as the date of the commencement of the notice period so that, inclusive of the same, his resignation would become effective on 30th June, 1986. According to the respondent, the Deputy General