1. This petition is preferred by the employee challenging the judgment and order dated 17-11-2008 passed by the School Tribunal, Amravati, dismissing Appeal No.32 of 2008 filed by the petitioner challenging the termination of his services with effect from 295-2008.

2. The facts, which led to filing of this petition, are as under:

The petitioner was appointed as Junior Clerk in the School run by respondent No.1 in the year 1984. He was promoted as Senior Clerk on 8-8-1996. The petitioner was absent from duty from 3-5-2007 to 24-6-2007. On 25-62007, the petitioner went to join the duty;

however, the Management did not permit him to sign the muster roll. He, therefore, preferred Appeal No.32 of 2008 before the School Tribunal, Amravati, under Section 9 of the Maharashtra Employees of Private Schools (Conditions of Service) Regulation Act, 1977 (for short, "the MEPS Act") along with Misc. Application No.3 of 2008 challenging otherwise termination of his services with effect from 256-2007 and seeking condonation of delay in filing the appeal.

3. In response to the aforesaid appeal and misc. application, the Management appeared before the School Tribunal and submitted that the servic