NARESHBHAI B MEHTA Vs. DIVISIONAL CONTROLLER

JUDGEMENT

(1.) THE first captioned petition is by the workman whereas the second captioned petition is by the employer -Gujarat State Road Transport Corporation. Both are directed against the very judgment and award dated 28th January, 2013 of Industrial Tribunal, Bhavnagar passed in Reference (IT) No.142 of 2008. The Industrial Tribunal thereby partially allowed the Reference of the workman. It set aside the penalty of stoppage of four yearly increments imposed on the workman and substituted it with punishment of two yearly increments to be stopped with permanent effect and did not grant any financial benefit for the past period.

(2.) HEARD learned advocate Mr.H.A. Dholakia for the workman and learned advocate Mr.G.M. Joshi for the Corporation appearing for respective parties in the two petitions.

(3.) THE workman was employed as Conductor in the Corporation faced a charge of recovering fair from passenger without issuing ticket to him in a bus where he was on duty. Pursuant to charge -sheet dated 13th March, 2002, departmental Inquiry was held. The punishing authority imposed penalty of stoppage of five yearly increments with future effect. The Appellate Authority reduced it to stoppage of four yearly increments. Against that punishment, workman invoked Reference which culminated into the impugned award.