( 1 ) THE petitioner joined the services of the respondent-Bank as Attender in the year 1978 and subsequently he was promoted as clerk in the year 1984. When the petitioner was so serving in the establishment of the Bank, absented himself without prior permission or sanction of leave with effect from 29-11-1996. Since the petitioner was absenting himself unauthorisedly, the Branch Manager-R2 herein issued notice dated 13-3-1997 to the petitioner calling upon him to join the duty. There was no response from the petitioner. There forward, the first respondent issued notice dated 25-3-1997 as envisaged under clause 17 (a) of the Vth Bipartite Settlement by registered post acknowledgment due as well as under certificate of posting and both the notices were returned on 16-4-1997 with the postal endorsement "addressee left, returned to sender". There after wards, the Deputy General Manager-first respondent passed the impugned order dated 24-6-1997 declaring that the petitioner is deemed to have voluntarily retired from the service of the Bank with effect from 16-5-1997 and further declaring that the period of unauthorised absence of the petitioner should not count for serv