In Brief
The Life Insurance Corporation of India terminated an employee's service for abandonment of duty under its Staff Regulation after the employee was absent without leave for over 90 days and failed to respond to multiple notices. The employee later filed a writ petition seeking relief, without disclosing that he had secured employment with the Food Corporation of India. The High Court set aside the termination, holding that no formal inquiry was conducted. The Supreme Court reversed this, holding that where an employee is missing and unresponsive to notices, the employer may treat such prolonged absence as abandonment and terminate service. The Court also held that the employee's non-disclosure of his new job made him ineligible for equitable relief under constitutional remedies.
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