Can an authority competent to impose major penalty initiate and conduct minor penalty proceedings?

7. Can an authority competent to impose major penalty initiate and conduct minor penalty proceedings? There is no embargo for a higher disciplinary authority to initiate and conduct minor penalty proceedings. However, such circumstances should not lead to raising of eyebrows.

8. If the authority competent to impose major penalty had initiated and conducted major penalty proceedings, can such authority impose minor penalty or it will have to direct the lower disciplinary authority to impose minor penalty. 75 MHA OM No. 6/26/60-Ests.(A) dated 18 June 1962 provides that where a disciplinary proceedings for imposition of major penalty has been initiated by a higher disciplinary authority, final orders should also be passed by such authority only and the case should not be remitted to the lower disciplinary authority. As a natural corollary, appeal should be dealt with by the next higher authority