(Per Ramesh Ranganathan, J.)

Aggrieved by the order in W.P. Nos. 8088 of 1999 and 7722 of 1999 dated 11-07-2005 whereby the punishment awarded by the Labour Court, Guntur in I.D. No. 73 of 1988 dated 25-01-1999, was modified, the present appeals are filed by Cotton Corporation of India, the Employer. Questioning the award in I.D.No.73 of 1988, the appellant herein had filed W.P. No. 7722 of 1999, and the respondent workman had tiled W.P. No. 8088 of 1999.

2. The respondent-workman, a Cotton purchase officer, was issued a charge sheet on 28-12-1984 and the charges levelled against him therein read thus:

1. That - Shri U. Chinnappa while functioning as Cotton Purchase Officer and posted as Center In-charge at Gudhihattanur center during the cotton season 1983-84 did not work with full devotion to duty and acted in a manner prejudicial to the interests of the Corporation by not conducting/taking experimental outturns as per the guidelines issued, and he has based his purchases with unrealistic outturns resulting in wide difference between budgeted and actual paid hard by Rs.243/- per candy.

ii. That Shri U. Chinnappa while functioning as Cotton Purchase Officer and posted as Center