DIWAKAR D. KODE Vs. COAL INDIA LIMITED

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Heard.

(2.) Rule. Rule made returnable forthwith. With consent, heard finally.

(3.) The petitioner is assailing the order dtd. 31/1/2019, passed by the Chairman-cum-Managing Director of Mahanadi Coalfields Limited (Disciplinary Authority) imposing punishment of reduction to lower scale in the time scale for six months with cumulative effect. The Disciplinary Authority found that the petitioner is partially responsible for not initiating action against the successful bidder - Contractor, who did not deposit the performance security and additional performance security. The petitioner was served with the said order while he was posted at the Western Coalfields Limited (WCL) and he preferred appeal provided under the Coal India Limited Executives (Conduct, Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 1978, which the sub-committee of the CIL Board (Appellate Authority) allowed partially vide order dtd. 17/6/2020 by reducing the punishment to "censure", which order is also impugned herein.