(1) An appeal under sub-section (1) of section 48 shall be preferred to the Appellate Authority by the employee within 60 days from the date of service of the order terminating his services with the employer, such service shall be deemed to be effective, if carried out either personally if that is not practicable, by prepaid registered post to his last known address, when the date of such service shall be deemed to be the date when the letter would arrive in ordinary course of post:
Provided that the Appellate Authority may admit an appeal after the expiration of the period of sixty days where the appellant satisfies the Appellate Authority that he had sufficient cause for not preferring the appeal within the stipulated .period of sixty days.
(2) (a) The procedure to be followed by the Appellate Authority for hearing appeals preferred to it under sub-section (1) of section 48 shall be summary. It shall pass orders giving its reasons therefore. A Register of Appeals in Form XIII shall be maintained by the Appellate Authority wherein the particulars of the appeal and summary of the final order shall be recorded.
(b) If the employer fails to appear on the specified date, the Authority may proceed to hear and determine the application ex parte.
(c) If the employer fails to appear on two successive dates of hearing, the Authority may dismiss the application:
Provided that an order passed under clause (b) or clause (c) above may be set aside and the application re-heard, if any good cause being shown by the defaulting party within one month from the date of the said order, after service of notice to opposite party.
(d) The parties shall not be entitled to produce additional evidence whether oral or documentary before the Appellate Authority. But it can be entertained on the following grounds:
(i) the employer from whose order the appeal is preferred has refused to admit evidence which ought to have been admitted; or
(ii) the Appellate Authority requires any document to be produced or any witness to be examined to enable it to pass orders or for any other substantial cause, the Authority may allow such evidence or document to be produced or witness to be examined.
(e) Wherever additional evidence is allowed to be produced by the Appellate Authority, it shall record the reasons for its admission.
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(f) The result of the appeal shall be communicated to the parties as soon as possible. Copies of the orders shall also be furnished to the parties if required by them. The copies shall be on stamped papers to be furnished by the parties.
(3) The second Appellate Authority shall follow the same procedure as enumerated in sub-rule (2) above. He shall also maintain a Register of Second Appeals in Form XV.