Major Singh vs State Of Punjab & Ors.

The Supreme Court held that the termination order under Rule 12.21 of the Punjab Police Rules was not a mere discharge simpliciter, as it contained aspersions on the appellant's conduct, thus constituting a stigma. The Court emphasized that for an order under Rule 12.21 to be valid, it must not cast any aspersions on the individual, which was not the case here. Consequently, the Court set aside the High Court's judgment and reinstated the appellant, affirming that the termination was not legally sustainable due to the stigma attached.