( 1 ) THE petitioner was appointed as Cost analyst in the respondent-Port Trust in the year 1974. He was promoted as Accounts officer in 1980, Deputy Chief Accounts officer in 1982 and as Deputy Financial advisor and Chief Accounts Officer in the year 1988. While, the petitioner was working as Deputy Financial Advisor and chief Accounts Officer, he was served with a memo dated 25-1-1997 calling for an explanation as to why disciplinary action should not be taken against him stating that he acted in connivance with the contractor in order to unduly award the subject work in his favour taking advantage of the chairman s Instructions in a twisted manner even by compromising the interests of the Port Trust. The petitioner submitted his explanation on 1-2-1987 denying the allegations levelled against him. Thereafter, charge memo was issued on 27-9-1997 under Regulation 12 of the Visakhapatnam port Employees (Classification, Control and appeal) Regulations, 1968 (for short "the regulations") which deals with imposition of minor penalties. The petitioner submitted his explanation to the charge-memo on 8-10-1997. As the respondent-Port Trust has not taken any decision, th