Judgment

SAWANT, J.:- Special leave granted. The appeal is set down for hearing by consent of both the parties.

2. This appeal involves a question of interpretation of paragraphs 521 (5)(e) and 521 (10)(c) of the Award of the All India Industrial Tribunal (Bank Disputes) which is populary known as the Sastri Award, (hereinafter referred to as the Award) and is important for the entire banking industry in the country covered by the Award.

3. In order to appreciate the significance of the question, it is necessary to narrate the facts leading to this appeal. The employee concerned was working as a clerk in the Gadchiroli branch of the appellant State Bank of India at the relevant time. A departmental inquiry was held against him for four acts of misconduct and the inquiry officer came to the conclusion that two of the charges were fully proved while one charge was proved to a limited extent and the fourth  charge was not established. On the basis of the report of the inquiry officer, the competent authority tentatively decided to dismiss the employee from service, and issued a notice to him under paragraph 521 (10)(a) of the Award, to show cause as to why the said punishment should not