(b) In the case of violation of a procedural provision, which is of a mandatory character, it has to be ascertained whether the provision is conceived in the interest of the person proceeded against or in public interest. If it is found to be the former, then it must be seen whether the delinquent officer has waived the said requirement, either expressly or by his conduct, If he is found to have waived it, then the order of punishment cannot be set aside on the ground of the said violation. If, on the other hand, it is found that the delinquent officer/employee has not waived it or that the provision could not be waived by him, then the Court or Tribunal should make appropriate directions (include the setting aside of the order of punishment), keeping in mind the approach adopted by the Constitution Bench in B. Karunakar, Managing Director, ECIL v. B. Karunakar . The ultimate test is always the same, viz., test of prejudice or the test of fair hearing as it may be called.
It requires to be noticed that in Venkata Bharani (2 supra), one of the apparent reasons for the Full Bench declining grant of relief to the petitioner on application of doctrine of prejudice, was that the petitioner did not raise either the question of violation of principles of natural justice at any stage nor had put forth any grievance as regards procedural fairness. The only grievance was that the enquiry was conducted under nonexistent and repealed rules and therefore the punishment awarded was without jurisdiction and no independent prejudice need be established in such circumstances.
that the breach (of principles of natural justice) is itself a prejudice and no other de facto prejudice need be established was no doubt reiterated in S.L. Kapoor v. Jagmohan. Chinnappa . Reddy, J. in Jagmohan however admitted exceptions to the strict rule namely where on the admitted or indisputable facts only one conclusion was possible, it was not necessary to quash the impugned proceedings though in violation of the principles of natural justice.