1. 1. By this writ petition, filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, the petitioner has challenged the legality and propriety of the impugned order dated 05.07.1989 (Annexure- 5), whereby the major penalty of forfeiture of past service for the period 12.10.57 to 05.07.1989 was imposed on the petitioner by the Municipal Board, Ramgarh Shekawati (Rajasthan) (Respondent No. 2) and as a result of which the petitioner lost all the benefits, which would otherwise have become due to him on completion of qualifying period of service of about thirty two years such as pension, gratuity, provident fund, salary & other consequential benefits and allowances etc. as admissible under the Rules.

2. The facts giving rise to the filing of this writ petition briefly stated are that the petitioner, who was appointed as a "Chowkidar" (Class IV employee) in the office of the Municipal Board (Respondent No. 2) vide order dated 12.10.1957 (Annexure- 1), rendered his services continuously with the Municipal Board and was fixed in a regular pay-scale. During the course of service the petitioner was served with a show cause notice on account of his alleged absence from duty for the peri