Rule 140. Form and manner of preferring appeal and the fee to accompany such appeal under subsection (3) of Section 111

(1) The employer, aggrieved by the order of Enquiry Officer, may appeal against such order before the Appellate Authority appointed by the State Government for such purpose within sixty days from the date of receipt by him of such order, electronically or otherwise, along with a fee @ 25% of the penalty imposed, to be deposited in the official account of the Appellate Authority electronically or otherwise.

(2) The Government of Andhra Pradesh shall appoint an officer as Appellate Authority who shall be of the next higher cadre to the officer referred to in sub-rule (1), as may be prescribed by the State Government.

(3) When the appeal has been admitted, the appellate authority shall send the notice of the appeal to the enquiry officer, against whose order the appeal has been preferred, and the enquiry officer shall there upon send the records of the case to the appellate authority online, electronically or otherwise.

(4) If on the date fixed for hearing, the appellant does not appear, the appellate authority may dismiss the appeal for default of appearance of the appellant by sending the copy of the order to the applicant electronically or otherwise.

(5) Where an appeal has been dismissed, the appellant may apply electronically to the appellate authority for the restoration of the appeal within thirty days from the date of receipt of the order and if the appellate authority is satisfied that the appellant was prevented by sufficient cause from appearing, the appellate authority shall restore the appeal subject to costs at the discretion of the authority.

(6) The order of the Appellate Authority shall be communicated electronically to the appellant, and a copy thereof shall be sent to the enquiry officer against whose order the appeal has been preferred.

(7) The appeal shall be disposed of within a period of thirty (30) days from the date of receipt of the appeal.