JUDGMENT & ORDER :

K.R.Surana, J.

Heard Mr. R.K.D. Choudhury, the learned A.S.G.I. for the petitioners. Also heard Mr. N. Dutta, learned senior counsel, assisted by Mr. P. Mahanta, learned counsel for the respondent.

2. At the insistence of the learned counsel/ senior counsel appearing for the respective parties, the matter has been heard at the “admission” stage.

3. The legality of the judgment and order dated 20.12.2019, passed by the learned Central Administrative Tribunal, Guwahati Bench, Guwahati (herein after referred to as the “learned Tribunal” for brevity) in O.A. No. 40/425/2018 has been assailed by the petitioners in this writ petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India. By the impugned order, the learned Tribunal had directed the petitioners to reinstate the respondent in service forthwith, however, by granting liberty to the petitioners to consider imposition of lesser punishment proportionate to the lapse alleged to have been committed by the respondent.

4. Bereft of details, for the purpose of this order, it would be relevant to mention that at the r