Major-penalty disciplinary inquiry requires charge disclosure, defence opportunity, evidentiary hearing, and reasoned findings before disciplinary action.

Regulation 88 makes a formal inquiry, conducted as far as practicable under its prescribed process, a precondition to imposing the specified major penalties. Proceedings commence with definite and distinct articles of charge, supporting imputations, relevant facts, and lists of proposed documents and witnesses. The employee must receive these materials and may file a written defence and seek a personal hearing within the stipulated period. Where charges remain disputed or no defence is filed, the disciplinary authority may itself inquire or appoint an inquiring authority and a Presenting Officer.

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