DEPOT MANAGER A P STATE ROAD TRANSPORT CORPORATION HANUMAKONDA DEPOT MANAGER ARSRTC Vs. V VENKATESWARULU:V SAMBASIVA RAO

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Delay condoned.

(2.) Leave granted in all the special leave petitions.

(3.) The common question for consideration in these appeals is whether an employee of the Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (Corporation), who was kept under suspension pending investigation, inquiry or trial in a criminal prosecution, is entitled to salary for the period of suspension after the criminal proceedings are terminated in his favour The High Court has answered the question in the affirmative and in favour of the respondents. These appeals by the Corporation are against the judgment of the High Court. It is not necessary to go into the facts in each of these appeals as Mr. Altaf Ahmed, Learned Additional Solicitor General, appearing for the Corporation has very fairly stated that irrespective of the final result in these appeals, the Corporation shall comply with the impugned judgments of the High Court and pay the salary etc. to the appellants for the suspension period as directed by the High Court. We propose to deal with the legal question based on the interpretation of the relevant regulations of the Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation Employees (Classification, Control and Appeal) Regulations, 1967 (the Regulations). Regulation 18 of the Regulations gives power to the appointing authority to place an employee of the Corporation under suspension. Regulation 19 provides for the extension of the period of suspension. Under Regulation 20 an employee is entitled to the payment of subsistence allowance during the period of suspension and Regulation 21 provides for the pay, allowances and treatment of service on reinstatement of the employee. Regulations 18, 20 and 21 to the extent they are relevant are reproduced hereunder:-