The Hon court has to decide the appeal on merit, the court may give sufficient opportunity to accused who is on bail to argue his case, if he does not then on the persistence of respondent the court may close the argument and hear only the respondent, and then shall decide on merit. Accused has already put on record whatever he wanted to say in his petition, court may treat that sufficient along with the LCR.
S.386 CrPC
Power of the Appellate Court. After perusing such record and hearing the appellant or his pleader, if he appears, and the Public Prosecutor if he appears, and in case of an appeal under section 377 or section 378, the accused, if he appears, the Appellate Court may, if it considers that there is no sufficient ground for interfering, dismiss the appeal, or may-
So if he appears, that means appellate court is not bound to hear the parties if they do not appear...