2025:UHC:5735 HIGH COURT OF UTTARAKHAND AT NAINITAL Writ Petition Service Single No.1130 of 2025 04th July, 2025 Praveen Kumar Negi ………..Petitioner Versus Circle Head Punjab National Bank and others ……..Respondents ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Presence:- Mr. B.D. Pande, Advocate for the petitioner. Mr. Siddharth Jain, Advocate for the respondents. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Hon'ble Pankaj Purohit, J. By means of the present writ petition, the petitioner has put to challenge the order dated 18.06.2025, whereby the petitioner was placed under suspension purportedly for his moving on unauthorized leave from 02.06.2025 to 13.06.2025. 2. A preliminary objection has been raised by learned counsel for the respondents-Bank that as per Punjab National Bank Office Employees (Discipline and Appeal) Regulations, 1977 (hereinafter referred to as “Regulations, 1977”), provision of appeal is provided under Regulation 17 against any order by which an employee is placed under suspension. 3. I have perused Regulation 17 of the Regulations, 1977. I find force in the submission made by learned counsel for the respondents-Bank. 4. Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that the reason for filing the present writ petition is only that there is provision under Regulation 17 of Regulations, 1 2025:UHC:5735 1977, whereby appeal is provided, for passing an interim order against the suspension order; therefore the petitioner has no remedy except to file the present writ petition. 5. Having heard learned counsel for the parties and having perused the Regulation, 1977, this Court is of the opinion that interest of justice would suffice if this Court will give an opportunity to the petitioner to file an appeal along with a direction to Appellate Authority to decide the appeal within a period of 15 days from the date of filing of the appeal. 6. Accordingly, writ petition stands disposed-off and it is provided that the petitioner shall prefer an appeal under Regulation 17 of Regulation, 1977 to the Authorized Officer within a period of one week from today and if such an appeal is filed by the petitioner before the Authorized Officer, he shall decide the same within a period of next seven days from the date of filing of the appeal. Till disposal of the appeal, the suspension order dated 18.06.2025 passed against the petitioner shall be kept in abeyance. (Pankaj Purohit, J.) 04.07.2025 SK 2