( 1 ) THE petitioner joined service of the State Bank of Patiala as a Clerk in 1968 and was promoted to the post of Trainee Officer with effect from 1/08/1974. By letter No. Staff/genl/3749 dated 1/08/1974 the petitioner was informed that the Banks Board of Directors had approved his promotion as Trainee Officer under Group B Grade II with effect from 1/08/1974 in the scale of Rs. 500. 00-1,030. 00. By a subsequent letter dated 14/08/1975 he was informed that the Board of Directors had confirmed him as Officer Grade II with effect from 1/08/1975 in the said scale. When the petitioner was working as Branch Manager at Birhana Road, Kanpur, he is alleged to have committed some misdemeanour. By a letter dated 9/01/1980 he was called upon to explain the purchase bills in excess of his discretionary power of Rs. 1 lakh. The petitioner sent his reply to the said memorandum on 31/01/1980 contending that the purchase of the bills was within his discretionary limit. The petitioner was, thereafter, placed under suspension and was served with a charge-sheet. The Regional Manager of the Bank was appointed as Enquiry Officer to enquire into the alleged misconduct of the petitioner. The petitione