Jharkhand HC directs JUVNL to provide compassionate appointment to deceased employee’s daughter within 10 weeks

In a landmark judgment, the Jharkhand High Court directed JUVNL to consider the case of a woman for compassionate appointment in place of her deceased mother and pass appropriate orders for appointing her on compassionate ground, so that she could meet the situation of sudden death of sole bread-earner, who had left the family in penury and without means of livelihood.

Justice S N Pathak passed the order on August 8 this year after hearing petition of Rita Giri, who knocked the door of high court after JUVNL rejected her application for compassionate appointment in place of her deceased mother, Munni Devi, who was a permanent employee and died on 23.7.2011 while working as peon in the office of Electric Supply Division, Dhanbad.

The petitioner submitted before the high court that rejection of her claim for compassionate appointment suffers from gender bias, inasmuch as, if the son of the deceased employee comes within the zone of consideration for employment on compassionate ground, there is no reason as to why, the daughter, whether married or unmarried, should be excluded from the zone, if such daughter is fully dependent upon the deceased employee.

The court, while giving the direction to consider the case for compassionate appointment, also gave further direction to complete the entire exercise within a period of eight weeks and offer appointment within a further period of two weeks.