CWP(T) No. 7930 of 2008. 30.07.2009 Present: Mr. Surinder Saklani, Advocate, for the petitioner. Mr. R.K. Sharma, Senior Additional Advocate General with Mr. Rajinder Dogra, Additional Advocate General, for respondents. The Land Settlement Collector, Block Shimla charged the petitioner vide memo dated 11th February, 2000 to the effect that while he was posted at Nagar Panchayat Area, Arki, he did not take any interest in the land settlement work and measured only about 400 Khasra numbers from December, 1997 to July 20, 1999 and has failed to achieve fixed targets, due to which his work was found unsatisfactory. He submitted reply on 22.2.2001. The Disciplinary Authority imposed the penalty of stoppage of two annual increments, without cumulative effect on the petitioner for negligence. This order was passed by the Forest Settlement Officer, Shimla on 3rd June, 2000. He preferred a detailed appeal to the Commissioner (Revenue) on 10th July, 2000, which contained number of grounds. However, the Appellate Authority has dismissed the appeal in a very slipshod manner, without even going into the grounds taken in the : 2 : memo of appeal, primarily on the basis of comments sought from the Settlement Officer. The Appellate Authority was required to decide the appeal independently, without seeking comments of Settlement Officer. Infact, Settlement Officer was the person who has imposed penality upon the petitioner on 3.6.2000. The order dated 11th April, 2001, passed by the Commissioner (Revenue) is neither speaking nor self contained. Consequently, the order dated 11.4.2001, Annexure A-5 is quashed and set aside. The Commissioner (Revenue), Himachal Pradesh, Shimla is directed to decide the appeal afresh by a speaking and self contained order within a period of eight weeks. The petitioner shall be heard in person and for that purpose, date will be notified to him. With these observations, the writ petition is disposed of. (Rajiv Sharma), J. July 30, 2009. Bhupender