JUDGMENT :

Ruma Pal, J.

Leave granted.

2. The appellant was working with the respondents as a Technical Supervisor in Kurali Telephone Exchange in District Roopnagar, Punjab. Disciplinary proceedings were initiated against the appellant and two other employees in respect of a common certain facts. The Inquiry Officer held the three employees guilty. Ultimately, the Deputy General Manager, being the Respondent No. 3 herein, imposed a penalty reducing the pay of the delinquent officer by five stages for a period of 5 years with effect from 1st November, 2001 and further directed that the appellant would not earn increment of pay during the period of reduction.

3. According to the appellant, similar punishment was inflicted on the other two employees. Being aggrieved, all three employees filed separate writ petitions before the High Court. The writ petitions of the other two employees were merely dismissed as withdrawn. As far as the appellant was concerned, the High Court not only dismissed the writ petition but also directed the punishing authority to re-consider the punishment imposed in view of the observations of the High Court and held that the maximum penalty of dismissal from serv