JUDGMENT

Jyoti Singh, J. (ORAL)

1. Present writ petition has been filed by the Petitioner seeking quashing of the impugned Office Order dated 19.12.2018 as well as issuance of writ of mandamus to the Respondent to refund the payment wrongly deducted from the retirement benefits with interest @ 12% per annum. Writ of mandamus is also sought for re-fixation of his pension on the basis of pay drawn on 30.11.2018, in terms of Order dated 28.01.2016.

2. Shorn of unnecessary details, the factual score of the case, to the extent relevant to decide the issue arising in the writ petition, is that Petitioner was working as Assistant Engineer with the Respondent when departmental proceedings were initiated against him and a penalty was imposed on 09.08.2012. Relevant part of the penalty order is as follows:

"reduction to lower stage in present scale of pay by two stages for a period of three years with direction that the officer will not earn increments of pay during the period of this reduction to the lower stage and on the expiry of such period the reduction will not have the effect of postponing of the further increment of his pay."

3. However, the Appellate Authority, vide order da