STATE BANK OF INDIA vs WORKMEN OF STATE BANK OF INDIA AND ANR.

The Supreme Court held that the termination of the bank clerk's service was punitive and did not constitute 'retrenchment' under Section 2(00) of the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947. The Court found that the High Court's interpretation of the Shastri Award's provisions was overly literal and disregarded the context, affirming that the discharge was a result of disciplinary proceedings. Consequently, the provisions of Section 25F regarding retrenchment compensation were not applicable, and the Bank's appeal was allowed.