Natural justice requires a prior hearing before termination that removes a select-list candidate from future appointment consideration.

Termination of a temporarily appointed conductor that deletes his name from a select list and bars future consideration for appointment carries serious civil consequences. In such a case, the minimum requirement of fairness is a prior opportunity to explain, even if the governing recruitment regulations are silent and no elaborate inquiry is required. The note states that failure to give that opportunity offends natural justice, rendering the termination invalid and liable to be set aside.

---

---

Issues: Whether termination of a temporarily appointed conductor, resulting in deletion of his name from the select list and forfeiture of future appointment chances, was void for breach of the principles of natural justice.

Analysis: The employee had been selected under statutory recruitment regulations and his name stood included in the select list. The termination was made on the ground of unsuitability and carried the further consequence of deleting his name from the select list and depriving him of future consideration for appointment. Where an order entails such serious civil consequences, the minimum requirement of fairness is that the employee be given an opportunity to explain before the order is made. No elaborate inquiry was necessary, but a chance of explanation was required even if the regulations did not expressly provide for it. Since no such opportunity was given, the order offended natural justice.

Conclusion: The termination order was invalid and liable to be set aside for violation of the principles of natural justice, and the appellant was entitled to reinstatement with back wages and other consequential benefits.

Ratio Decidendi: Where termination of service visits an employee with serious civil consequences such as forfeiture of a statutory or regulated right to future consideration for employment, the minimum rule of natural justice requires prior opportunity of explanation even if the governing regulation is silent.

---