( 1 ) WHETHER the Industrial Tribunal/labour court has jurisdiction to entertain the application for setting aside the ex parte award after expiry of 30 days of its publication is the question that falls for consideration in this Writ petition. The industrial dispute arising out of the punishment of reduction of two increments without cumulative effect imposed by the management/writ petitioner was referred to the labour Court for adjudication on the dispute raised by the President, the Nellore District co-operative Central Bank Employees association, the petitioner (sic. 1 st respondent) herein and the same was numbered as I. D. No. 109 of 1994.

( 2 ) ON receipt of the notice of the reference, both the claimant/employee and employer filed statements and counter statements. Subsequently the employer remained ex parte and after recording the evidence of the employee, award was passed on October 31, 1997 holding that the management of the Nellore Co-operative central Bank Limited, Nellore-Writ Petitioner herein is not justified in awarding the punishment of withholding of two annual increments of Sri P. Venku Reddy, Supervisor and the Management was directed to pay a