Chennai, Mar 29 (PTI) A division bench of the Madras High Court has upheld the orders of the Central Government Industrial Tribunal (CGIT), which directed the State Bank of India to reinstate an employee, belonging to SC community, who was 'dismissed' and later 'removed' from service for displaying a portrait of Dr B R Ambedkar in the bank premises in 2004.

The bench of Justices M Duraiswamy and J Sathya Narayana Prasad confirmed the CGIT order while allowing an appeal from the employee M Gowrishankar and dismissing another appeal from the Bank, last week.

Also Read | Amazon Glow Now Available for All Customers in the US.

The judges pointed out that the Union Ministry of Finance had issued a circular on September 8, 2006, directing the bank to display Ambedkar's portrait in its offices. "In view of the circular issued by the Government of India, the Bank could have reversed its decision of removing the appellant/workman from service and could have given some other punishment," the bench opined.

"In view of the facts and circumstances of the case, we are of the considered view that the award of the CGIT ordering reinstatement cannot be interfered with, since it had exercised its power under Section 11A of the Industrial Dispute Act, 1947," the bench said.

Also Read | Realme Pad Mini Listed on Lazada, Likely To Debut in India Soon.

Moreover, the Tribunal had given its reasons for interfering with the punishment by exercising the power under Section 11A of the ID Act. Hence, there is no infirmity in its award, the judges added and directed the bank to reinstate the appellant and to pay all other attendant benefits, but without backwages, as ordered by the Tribunal on April 30, 2012, within three months.

The charge against Gowrishankar was that he had displayed the portrait of Ambedkar in bank premises on July 15, 2004 without permission from the higher officials.

The disciplinary authority in December 2005 ordered his dismissal from service. Gowrishankar challenged the same by filing an appeal before the Appellate Authority, which modified the punishment to removal from service with superannuation benefits, by showing leniency.

Challenging this, Gowrishankar raised an Industrial Dispute. The Tribunal-cum-Labour Court here in April 2012 ordered his reinstatement into service without backwages, but with continuity of service and all other attendant benefits, by invoking the powers under Section 11A of the Industrial Disputes Act. It also observed that the workman/appellant should be given some chance to correct himself and repent his past, thereby enabling him to be a righteous person.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)