ORDER

1. Leave granted.

2. This appeal is preferred against the order of the Division Bench of the Andhra Pradesh High Court allowing the writ petition on the only ground that copy of the Enquiry Officers report was not supplied to the respondent-delinquent officer before imposing the punishment. A few facts need be stated.

3. The respondent was appointed as a clerk in the appellant-Bank (State Bank of Hyderabad). On 16-10-1976, he was promoted to the post of Officer Grade II. In the year 1981, he was working as Grade I Officer at Sangareddy Branch. With respect to his work at the said branch certain complaints were received and after obtaining his explanation, three charges were framed against him. An Enquiry Officer was appointed to inquire into those charges. After holding the inquiry, the Enquiry Officer held that charges 1 and 2 are not proved but charge 3 is proved.

4. The matter was placed before the disciplinary authority as required by sub-regulation (3) of Regulation 68 of State Bank of Hyderabad (Officers) Service Regulations, 1979. The disciplinary authority agreed with the findings of the Enquiry Officer and since he was not competent to impose major penalty, which in his