IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE, ANDHRA PRADESH AT HYDERABAD (Special Original Jurisdiction) TUESDAY, THE FOURTEENTH DAY OF OCTOBER TWO THOUSAND AND EIGHT PRESENT THE HON'BLE MR JUSTICE C.V.RAMULU WRIT PETITION NO : 15230 of 2006 Between: The Depot Manager, APSRTC, Narsapur Depot, Narasapur, W.G.District. ..... PETITIONER AND 1 The Regional Public Relations Secretary, APSRTC, Employees Union, Eluru, rep. to Sri T.V.V.S. Narayana, Driver. 2 the Labour Court, Guntur, rep. by its Presiding Officer. .....RESPONDENT(S) 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 issue an appropirate writ, order or direction especially in the natureof certiorari calling for the records relating to the impugned award dt. 5.1.2006 made in ID.No.18 of 2001 on the ﬁle of Labour Court, Guntur and quash the same as being illegal and invalid and pass. Counsel for the Petitioner:MR.R.MANMADHA REDDY Counsel for the Respondent No.: GP FOR LABOUR THE HON’BLE SRI JUSTICE C.V.RAMULU W.P.No.15230 of 2006 ORAL ORDER: This writ petition is ﬁled challenging the award passed by the Labour Court, Guntur in I.D.No.18 of 2001 dated 5.1.2006. It appears, ﬁrst respondent-workman while working with Petitioner-Corporation as Driver, caused an accident on 28.3.1998 on the route Narsapuram-Dwaraka Tirumala, for which he was imposed with punishment of reduction of pay by one incremental stage for a period of two years with cumulative effect. A reference was made to the Labour Court under Section 10-(1)(c) of the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947 as to whether the action of the Depot Manager, APSRTC, Narasapuram is justiﬁed in imposing the punishment of reduction of pay by incremental stage with cumulative eﬀect for a period of two years on T.V.V.S.Narayana, Driver. The said reference was answered in favour of respondent- workman. Aggrieved by the same, Corporation ﬁled the present writ petition. Admittedly, respondent-workman, was imposed with punishment of reduction of pay by one incremental stage for a period of two years with cumulative eﬀect, without conducting any detailed enquiry, which is a major punishment. It is well settled principle of law that major punishment of stoppage of increment with cumulative eﬀect cannot be imposed without conducting a detailed enquiry into the same and therefore, I am of the opinion that the Labour Court rightly set aside the said punishment, which does not call for any interference by this Court under Article 226 of the Constitution of India. The writ petition is devoid of merit and liable to be dismissed. Accordingly, the writ petition is dismissed. No order as to costs. _____________ C.V.RAMULU, J Date: 14.10.2008 DA THE HON'BLE SRI JUSTICE C.V.RAMULU W.P.No.15230 of 2006 14.10.2008