IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB & HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH Civil Writ Petition No.14604 of 2009 (O&M) Date of Decision : 12.01.2010. Jagir Kaur .....Petitioner versus State of Punjab and others .....Respondents CORAM : HON'BLE MR.JUSTICE SURYA KANT. Present : Mr.Sushil Saini, Advocate, for the petitioner. -.- 1. Whether Reporters of Local papers may be allowed to see the judgment? 2. To be referred to the Reporters or not? 3. Whether the judgment should be reported in the Digest? --- ORDER Surya Kant, J. (Oral) The petitioner seeks mandamus to direct respondent No.2 to decide the statutory appeal dated 16.9.2005 (Annexure P-1) filed by her under the Punjab Civil Services (Punishment and Appeal) Rules, 1971, against the order dated 23.9.2004 whereby punishment of stoppage of one annual increment without cumulative effect has been imposed upon her. Though it appears that the above stated appeal has been preferred by the petitioner belatedly and after the expiry of the period of limitation prescribed under the Rules, however subject to the explanation to be furnished by the petitioner explaining the delay in filing the appeal, the Appellate Authority, namely, respondent No.2 is obligated to decide C.W.P.No .14604 of 2009 (O&M) 2 the appeal of the petitioner within a reasonable period. The writ petition is accordingly disposed of at this stage with a direction to respondent No.2 to consider the petitioner's prayer for condonation of delay sympathetically and thereafter decide the appeal on merits as early as possible and preferably within 4 months. Disposed of. 12-01-2010 (SURYA KANT) Mohinder JUDGE