THE HON’BLE SRI JUSTICE L.NARASIMHA REDDY WRIT PETITION No.24090 of 2010 ORDER: The petitioner is working as a Driver in the Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation. On 14.03.2009, he was assigned the duty of driving the bus from Zahirabad to Bangalore. He was also required to issue tickets on TIMS machine. A check took place at Jadcherla. When certain discrepancies were noticed, a charge sheet was issued on 23.03.2009, alleging that the petitioner collected fare of Rs.624/- from a batch of three passengers, but issued tickets for Rs.468/- only. The petitioner submitted his explanation on 28.03.2009. An Enquiry Officer was appointed. Taking the report, dated 26.06.2009, submitted by the Enquiry Officer, the Depot Manager, Zahirabad, passed an order, dated 10.07.2009, imposing the punishment of deferment of annual increment for a period of two years with cumulative effect. The same is challenged in this writ petition. The only ground urged by the petitioner is that the punishment which is major in nature was imposed without issuing any show cause notice subsequent to the submission of the report by the Enquiry Officer. I n K.Jayachandra Reddy V. D.M., A.P.S.R.T.C., Kadiri depot, Anantapur[1], this Court held that the Corporation is under obligation to issue show cause notice after receipt of the report of the Enquiry Officer in case any major punishment is to be imposed. Since deferment of increment with cumulative effect happens to be a major punishment, the impugned order cannot be sustained. Though in the ordinary course, the matter deserves to be remanded, this Court is of the view that ends of justice would be met if the punishment is modified to be the one without cumulative effect. Hence, the writ petition is partly allowed, modifying the order dated 10.07.2009, passed by the Depot Manager, Zahirabad, to the effect that the punishment imposed against the petitioner would be the one without cumulative effect. There shall be no order as to costs. ______________________________ JUSTICE L.NARASIMHA REDDY 28th September 2010 dr [1] 2005 (6) ALD 247