Shubham S/O Surendra Kumar ... vs The State Of Maharashtra, Thr. ...
2023 Latest Caselaw 10151 Bom

2023:BHC-NAG:14401-DB


                                                                               wp.3187.2022 judgment..odt
                                                           (1)

                             IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY
                                       NAGPUR BENCH : NAGPUR

                                       WRIT PETITION NO. 3187 OF 2022

                         Shubham S/o Surendra Kumar Ishrawat,
                         Aged about 24 Years, Occ : Student,
                         R/o Bhanpur, Post Dongargaon,
                         Taluka and District Gondia.                           ..... PETITIONER

                                                    // VERSUS //

                 1.     State of Maharashtra,
                        Through its Secretary,
                        Rural Development, Mantralaya,
                        Mumbai -32.

                 2.     Chief Executive Officer,
                        Zilla Parishad, Gondia.

                 3.     The Collector,
                        Collectorate, Gondia,
                        District Gondia.

                 4.     Block Development Officer,
                        Panchayat Samiti Aamgaon,
                        District Gondia.                                       .... RESPONDENTS

                 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                         Ms. Naziya Pathan, Advocate for petitioner.
                         Mr. Zaheer, Advocate h/f Mr. Abhijit Parihar, Advocate for
                         respondent Nos.2 and 4.
                         Mr. M. K Pathan, AGP for respondent /State.
                 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


                                               CORAM :        AVINASH G. GHAROTE AND
                                                              URMILA JOSHI-PHALKE, JJ.

RESERVED ON : 30.08.2023 PRONOUNCED ON : 03.10.2023

JUDGMENT : [ PER: URMILA JOSHI-PHALKE, J.]

1. RULE. Rule made returnable forthwith.

wp.3187.2022 judgment..odt

2. The matter is finally heard by the consent of the parties.

3. By this petition, the petitioner is seeking the direction to the

respondents to consider the claim of the present petitioner for the

compassionate appointment. As per contention of the petitioner,

petitioner is son of deceased employee Surendra Kumar Ishrawat who

was working as a Headmaster with the respondent No.2, Zilla Parishad,

Gondia. The deceased Surendra Kumar Ishrawat while discharging his

duty on 07.08.2012 expired. After the death of Surendra Kumar his wife

Sangita had applied for appointment on compassionate ground within

prescribed period on 06.12.2012. Accordingly, her name was included

in the waiting list for appointment on compassionate ground. During

the year 2012-2028 no appointment was granted to the mother of the

petitioner, therefore, she had made the representation to the respondent

authorities on 13.10.2016 for substitution of name of her son to be

included in the waiting list. Thereafter, the petitioner has also made a

representation to respondent No.4 for including his name in the waiting

list. Though, they have diligently taken the follow up for appointment

but no steps are taken by the respondents to substitute the name of the

petitioner in the waiting list. On 02.02.2017 reply was given to the

petitioner's mother contended that there is no provision for substitution

of name. The name of the mother of the petitioner was deleted from the

waiting list because she had attained the age of 45 years and now in wp.3187.2022 judgment..odt

view of policy she is not eligible for appointment on compassionate

ground. As per contention of the petitioners, the respondent authorities

neglected their proposal for appointment on compassionate ground

which is in contravention of the legitimate right of the petitioner and

dehors the scheme of compassionate appointment and therefore,

preferred this petition for directions to the respondent No.2 to consider

the petitioner's application for grant of compassionate appointment.

4. The respondent Nos.2 and 4 denied the entire contentions

of the petitioners on the ground that there is no provision in the policy of

the substitution as wife of the deceased who has initially filed an

application has attained the age of 45 years, after completion of 45 years

her name is deleted from the waiting list and therefore, the writ petition

deserves to be dismissed.

5. We have heard learned Counsel Ms. Pathan for the

petitioner who questions the denial of the appointment of the petitioner

in Class-IV category with the respondent No.4 on compassionate

appointment. She stated that the death of the deceased was occurred on

07.08.2012 therefore, policy of 2010 is applicable. In view of policy of

2010, the present petitioner is entitled for the compassionate

appointment. The reply given by the respondent Nos.2 and 4 to the wp.3187.2022 judgment..odt

petitioner that there is no provision of substitution is against the public

policy therefore, directions are required to the respondents to include

the name of the present petitioner in the waiting list and to provide him

appointment on compassionate basis.

6. Per contra, learned Counsel learned Counsel Shri Zahir on

behalf of Shri Abhijit Parihar, learned Counsel for respondent Nos.2 and

4 submitted that there is no policy to substitute the name of the

petitioner in the name of his mother.

7. Learned Counsel Ms. Pathan also reiterated contention and

submitted that compassionate appointment is claimed by the petitioner

as a right. Per contra, learned AGP Shri M. K. Pathan for the State

submitted that the object of granting compassionate appointment is to

enable the family members of a deceased/incapacitated employee to tide

over the sudden financial crises, appointments on compassionate ground

should be made immediately to redeem the family in distress. None can

claim compassionate appointment by way inheritance. Compassionate

appointment is a concession and not a right and the criteria laid down in

the Rules must be satisfied by all the aspirants. He submitted that as

there is no provision as to substitution no such directions can be issued

and prays for dismissal of the petition.

wp.3187.2022 judgment..odt

8. Learned Counsel for the petitioner placed reliance on

Supriya Suresh Patil @ Sow Supriya Pratik Kadam Vs. State of

Maharashtra and others, reported in 2018 (4) SLR 771 (S.C.).

9. Having heard both the sides. On perusal of the facts in the

present case, it is undisputed that deceased Surendra Kumar was serving

as a Headmaster with the respondent No.2. He died on 07.08.2012.

Initially, his wife filed an application for appointment on compassionate

ground. As she attained the age 45 years, in view of the policy her name

was removed from the waiting list. Before her name is removed from

the waiting list, she had filed an application to substitute the name of

the present petitioner in the waiting list, which was denied by the

respondents on the ground that there is no provision of substitution, in

view of the policy and did not consider the prayer of the present

petitioner to conclude the name in the waiting list.

10. There is no dispute that public employment in offices or

posts under the State or its instrumentalities or any other authority

covered by Article 12 of the Constitution must be in accordance with

statutory rules or in their absence, in tune with the policies framed for

regulating such appointments. The whole object of granting

compassionate appointment by an employer, being intended to enable wp.3187.2022 judgment..odt

the family members of a deceased/incapacitated employee to tide over

the sudden financial crises, appointments on compassionate ground

should be made immediately to redeem the family in distress. There is

no doubt that the claim of compassionate appointment is not by way of

inheritance. It is also not a right but it is a concession. It is also well

settled that an application for compassionate appointment has to be

made immediately upon death/incapacitation and in any case within a

reasonable period thereof or else a presumption could be drawn that the

family of deceased/incapacitated employee is not in immediate need of

financial assistance.

11. The Hon'ble Apex Court in Umesh Kumar Nagpal Vs. State

of Haryana and others (1994) 4 SCC 138 observed that the object of

granting compassionate employment is to enable the family of deceased

government employee to tide over the sudden crises by providing gainful

employment to one of the dependants of the deceased who is eligible

for such employment. That mere death of an employee in harness does

not entitle his family to such source of livelihood, and the Government

or the public authority concerned employer has to examine the financial

condition of the family of the deceased and it is only if it is satisfied, that

but for the provision of employment, the family will not able to meet the

crises, that a job is to be offered to the eligible member of the family, wp.3187.2022 judgment..odt

provided the scheme or rules provide for the same. The Apex Court

further clarified in the said case that compassionate appointment is not a

vested right which can be exercised at any time after the death of a

government servant. The object being to enable the family to get over

the financial crises which it faces at the time of the death of the sole

breadwinner. The compassionate employment cannot be claimed and

offered after lapse of considerable amount of time and after the crises is

over come.

12. The Full Bench of this Court in Writ Petition No.3907 of

2021 (Smt. Nilima Raju Khapekar Vs. The Executive Director, Bank of

Baroda, Baroda and others) decided on 22.04.2022 had considered the

object of compassionate appointment and by referring various judgments

held that the whole object of granting compassionate appointment by an

employer was intended to enable the family members of a

deceased/incapacitated employee to tide over the sudden financial crisis.

It is further held by this Court that an employer cannot be compelled to

make an appointment on compassionate ground contrary to the policy.

The satisfaction that the family members have been facing financial

distress and that an appointment on compassionate ground may assist

them to tide over such distress is not enough; a dependent must fulfil the

eligibility criteria for appointment. The Full Bench of this Court further wp.3187.2022 judgment..odt

held that it would be the obligation of the employer to assess and

evaluate the financial condition of the family of the deceased employee

and only upon a satisfaction being reached that the family, being

indigent, needs immediate succor by way of an appointment on

compassionate ground, it may proceed to determine eligibility on the

other counts.

13. Admittedly, the death of the deceased employee took place

long back on 07.08.2012. The wife of the deceased had applied for

employment on 06.12.2012. On 13.10.2016, the present petitioner

filed an application for substitution. He preferred various

representations and the reply given by the respondents show that there

is no policy for substitution and hence refused. Considering the intent

of the policy for providing compassionate appointment, any delay would

clearly defeat the policy. In the instant matter, father of the petitioner

passed away in the year 2012. It is not in dispute that all pensionary

benefits on account of his demise are received by his wife who initially

had applied for compassionate appointment on 06.12.2012. Since there

was no vacancy, no appointment was granted. On attaining the age of

45 her name was removed from the waiting list, in the year 2018.

wp.3187.2022 judgment..odt

14. In Fertilizers and Chemicals Travancore Ltd. and others Vs.

Anusree K. B. 2022 LiveLaw (SC) 819, the Hon'ble Apex Court has held

in para 9.1 and 9.2 as under:

"9.1 Applying the law laid down by this Court in the aforesaid decisions to the facts of the case on hand and considering the observations made hereinabove and the object and purpose for which the appointment on compassionate ground is provided, the respondent shall not be entitled to the appointment on compassionate ground on the death of her father, who died in the year 1995. After a period of 24 years from the death of the deceased employee, the respondent shall not be entitled to the appointment on compassionate ground. If such an appointment is made now and/or after a period of 14/24 years, the same shall be against the object and purpose for which the appointment on compassionate ground is provided.

9.2 Under the circumstances, both, the learned Single Judge as well as the Division Bench of the High Court have committed a serious error in directing the appellants to reconsider the case of the respondent for appointment on compassionate ground. The impugned judgment and order passed by the High Court is unsustainable."

15. The same position is reiterated in The State of West Bengal

Vs. Debabrata Tiwari and others Etc. Etc. 2023 LiveLaw (SC) 175 in para

7.5 in the following words:

"7.5. Considering the second question referred to above, in the first instance, regarding whether applications for compassionate appointment could be considered after a delay of several years, we are of the view that, in a case where, for reasons of prolonged delay, either on the part of the applicant in claiming compassionate appointment or the authorities in wp.3187.2022 judgment..odt

deciding such claim, the sense of immediacy is diluted and lost. Further, the financial circumstances of the family of the deceased, may have changed, for the better, since the time of the death of the government employee. In such circumstances, Courts or other relevant authorities are to be guided by the fact that for such prolonged period of delay, the family of the deceased was able to sustain themselves, most probably by availing gainful employment from some other source. Granting compassionate appointment in such a case, as noted by this Court in Hakim Singh would amount to treating a claim for compassionate appointment as though it were a matter of inheritance based on a line of succession which is contrary to the Constitution. Since compassionate appointment is not a vested right and the same is relative to the financial condition and hardship faced by the dependents of the deceased government employee as a consequence of his death, a claim for compassionate appointment may not be entertained after lapse of a considerable period of time since the death of the government employee."

16. It is thus apparent that delay either in making of the

application or in the appointment on compassionate basis would defeat

the very purpose and object of the policy and take away the plea of

necessity and immediate succor, for the reason that since for that

duration as the family of the deceased was able to sustain themselves,

granting of compassionate appointment after several years/decade

would foster a backdoor entry and defeat the object of providing public

employment on merits.

wp.3187.2022 judgment..odt

17. Considering the object underlying the provision for grant of

compassionate employment is to enable the family of the deceased

employee to tide over the sudden crises, now it would be of no avail to

grant compassionate appointment to the dependants of the deceased

employee, after lapse of 10 to 11 years, as the crises which arose on

account of death of a breadwinner has been overcome. By considering

the application after lapse of so much period, the object of the scheme of

compassionate would be frustrated. Where a long lapse of time has

occurred since the date of death of deceased employee, the sense of

immediacy for seeking compassionate appointment would cease to exist

and thus lose its significance and this would be a relevant circumstance

which must weigh with the authorities in determining as to whether a

case for the grant of compassionate appointment has been made out for

consideration.

18. It is, thus, apparent that any delay either in making of the

application or in the appointment on compassionate basis would defeat

the very purpose and object of the policy and take away the plea of

necessity and immediate succor, for the reason that since for that

duration as the family of the deceased was able to sustain themselves,

granting of compassionate appointment after several years/decade wp.3187.2022 judgment..odt

would foster a backdoor entry and defeat the object of providing public

employment on merits.

19. In that view of the matter, we are not inclined to entertain

the present writ petition. The same is, therefore, dismissed. No order as

to costs.

Rule is discharged.

(URMILA JOSHI-PHALKE, J.) (AVINASH G. GHAROTE, J.)

Sarkate.

Signed by: Mr. A.R. Sarkate Designation: PA To Honourable Judge Date: 03/10/2023 19:42:00