1. This writ petition has been preferred by the wife and sons of the deceased - driver of the Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (for short `the APSRTC') questioning the validity of the orders passed by the Deputy Chief Traffic Manager, Medak Region, Sanga Reddy, rejecting the appeal submitted by the said driver against the orders passed on 5.7.2008 by the Depot Manager, Zahirabad Depot, imposing on him the punishment of removal from service.

2. Sri P.Pandu, was engaged as a Driver Gr.II with the APSRTC w.e.f., 1.9.1988. He was inflicted with punishment of removal from service earlier on 17.5.1990 when he was involved in an accident. When he preferred an appeal against the said orders, he was reinstated back into service. When the Traffic Supervisor of Zahirabad Depot filed an adverse report that the said Pandu was unauthorisedly absent w.e.f., 17.1.2007 to 30.1.2007 without any intimation or prior sanction of leave and that he was also away from duties for 134 days during the year 2006, the said Pandu was subjected to disciplinary enquiry on two counts of charges. The 1st charge related to his unauthorized absence for duty w.e.f., 17.1.2007 to 30.1.2007. The