IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE, ANDHRA PRADESH AT HYDERABAD (Special Original Jurisdiction) TUESDAY, THE TWENTY NINETH DAY OF JULY TWO THOUSAND AND EIGHT PRESENT THE HON'BLE SRI JUSTICE L.NARASIMHA REDDY WRIT PETITION No. 16296 of 2008 Between: S. Nageswara Rao S/o. Uddadu, Staff No. 049993 Krishna District ..... PETITIONER AND 1 Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation Rep. by its Chairman & Managing Director, Mushirabad, Hyderabad. 2 The Depot Manager, Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation, Jaggaiahpet Depot, Jaggaiahpet, Krishna District. 3 The Divisional Manager, Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation Krishna Division, Vijayawada. 4 The Regional Manager, Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation Satavahana Region, Vijayawada. 5 The Divisional Manager, Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation Krishna Division, Vijayawada. .....RESPONDENTS Petition under Article 226 of the constitution of India praying that in the circumstances stated in the Affidavit filed herein the High Court will be pleased to to issue an order direction or writ more particularly one in the nature of Writ of Mandamus or any other appropriate writ declare the action of the Depot Manager, APSRTC, Jaggaiahpet Depot, Jaggaiahpet in issuing the proceedings No. 01/377(1)/2004-JPT, dt. 24- 06-2006 in imposing the punishment of reduction of pay by 2 incremental stages with cumulative effect till the date of retirement besides recovery of Rs. 15,038/- and Rs. 1575.12 ps. towards shortage of oil amounts and treating the period of suspension asnot on duty as illegal, arbitrary and unjust and consequently direct the respondents to set aside the same and pass Counsel for the Petitioner:MR.G.VIDYASAGAR Counsel for the Respondents: C.PRAKASH REDDY(SC FOR APSRTC) The Court made the following ORDER: The petitioner retired from the service of the A.P.S.R.T.C. as Traffic Inspector, Grade-III on 31.07.2006. While he was in service, the Depot Manager, Jaggaiahpet, the second respondent herein, initiated disciplinary proceedings by issuing charge sheets, dated 18.10.2004 and 25.10.2004. Thereafter, domestic enquiry was conducted and the same was followed by a further show cause notice. Ultimately, through a final order, dated 24.06.2006, the second respondent imposed the punishment of reduction of pay by two incremental stages and recovery of a sum of Rs.16,575/- towards shortage of the amount remitted by him. The petitioner presented an appeal before the third respondent on 09.07.2006. His grievance is that no action has been taken ever since then. Heard the learned counsel for the petitioner and the learned Standing Counsel for the respondents. Punishment of reduction of pay scale would have its own impact on the calculation of the terminal benefits of the petitioner. Unless the appeal is disposed of, no finality can be attached to it. More than one and half years have elapsed ever since the appeal has been filed. Its disposal cannot brook any further delay. Hence, the writ petition is disposed of, directing the third respondent to pass appropriate orders in the appeal presented by the petitioner, within a period of four (4) weeks from the date of receipt of a copy of this order. There shall be no order as to costs. _____________________ L.NARASIMHA REDDY,J Dt:29.07.2008 kdl ..... REGISTRAR // TRUE COPY // SECTION OFFICER To 1.2CCs to 2.2CD copies Form-NIC-OGS/WP{VSMI}