1. The petitioner worked as a clerk and then as an Accountant under the second respondent-a Co-operative Credit Society (the society for short). The Society originally registered under the Madras Co-operative Societies Act, 1932 is now under the relevant provision of the Kerala Co-operative Societies Act, 1969 (hereinafter called the Act) deemed to be registered under the Act. He had joined the service of the Society on 14 -12 -1957 as a clerk and then promoted as Accountant on 28 - 3 -1960. He was promoted as Treasurer of the Society on the basis of his seniority on 25 - 7-1966. The petitioner has got a case that his promotion was made reluctantly by the Board of Directors of the Society who were really forced to do so when he objected strongly when a junior of his, one P. Narayanan Nair was sought to be promoted to that post. The allegation is that this made the Directors ill-disposed towards him.

2. The petitioner's contentions in the O.P. are that as a result of the ill-will of the Directors against him, he was dismissed from the service of the Society illegally and in violation of the principles of natural justice on 23-1-68, the dismissal being made effective from