Board Of Trustees Of The Port Of Bombay vs Dilipkumar Raghavendranath Nadkarni ... on 17 November, 1982
"3. It is no doubt true that in the rules governing the disciplinary proceedings no
provision is made with regard to payment of fees or remuneration to the legal
practitioner who is permitted to assist the government servant in cases where the
Presenting Officer appointed by the disciplinary authority is a legal practitioner.
Explaining this right of a government servant to seek the assistance of a legal
practitioner in cases where the Presenting Officer happens to be the legal
practitioner, this Court in Board of Trustees of the Port of Bombay v. Dilipkumar
Raghavendranath Nadkarni has said: (SCC p. 130, para 10)
"The Inquiry Officer combines the judge and prosecutor rolled into one. Witnesses
are generally employees of the employer who directs an enquiry into misconduct. This
is sufficient to raise serious apprehensions. Add to these uneven scales, the weight of
legally trained minds on behalf of employer simultaneously denying that opportunity
to delinquent employee. The weighted scales and tilted balance can only be partly
restored if the delinquent is given the same legal assistance as the employer enjoys.
Justice must not only be done but must seem to be done is not a euphemism for
courts alone, it applies with equal vigour and rigour to all those who must be
responsible for fair play in action. And a quasi-judicial tribunal cannot view the
matter with equanimity on inequality of representation.