Difference between Show Cause Notice and Charge Sheet are given below:
A Show Cause Notice is a statement which informs the delinquent employee of the acts alleged to have been committed by him and seeks his explanation in respect of them. It is a fact finding exercise. However it does not strictly indict the employee of any misconduct or contain any statement of charges.
ADVERTISEMENTS:
A Show Cause Notice enables the Disciplinary Authority to ascertain whether there is any prima facie case for conducting any enquiry into the matter or treat the matter as closed or dispose it with a minor penalty of censure or warning.
Whereas a Charge Sheet is a Statement of Imputations/Allegations and contains clearly spelt out charges quoting penal provisions of standing orders or service rules. The Show Cause Notice may form part of the Charge Sheet The force of Charge Sheet is higher than the Show Cause Notice.
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In Ashok Kumar Monga vs. UCO Bank (2000 LIC 563), the Delhi High Court held that if the Show Cause Notice itself contains specific details and complete particulars of charges and the delinquent employee could understand the charges, even Show Cause Notice can be treated as Charge Sheet.