Mysore State Road Transport ... vs Mirja Khasim All Beg & Anr on 1 December, 1976
(12) It is true that the respondent may visit the punishment of discharge or removal
from service on a person who has absented himself without leave and without
reasonable cause, but this cannot entail automatic removal from service without
giving such person reasonable opportunity to show cause why he be not removed. The
appellant is entitled to a reasonable opportunity to show cause which includes an
opportunity to deny his guilt and establish his innocence which he can do only when
he knows what the charges levelled against him are and the allegations on which
such charges are based. In our judgment, the appellant was entitled to an opportunity
to show cause against the action proposed to be taken against him."
So, it appears that the ratio, as decided in all those cases is to the effect
that without initiating a departmental proceeding and without giving an
opportunity to the concerned employee to give explanation in respect of the
alleged misdeed, the service of such employee should not be terminated. There
cannot be any dispute in this respect. So, I have got no hesitation to hold that
the manner in which the service of the writ petitioner/appellant was terminated
appears to be not proper. Since it appears that the order of discharge, so passed
by the departmental authority, without initiating any departmental proceeding,
appears to be improper, so there cannot be any doubt that such defect could not
be cured by the order passed by the appellate authority. The decision reported in
AIR 1977 SC 747 (Mysore State Road Transport Corporation vs. Mirja
Khasim Ali Bag & Anr.) is very much relevant in this respect. In the said
decision the Hon'ble Supreme Court observed as follows: