Married daughter with siblings not entitled to compassionate job: TS HC

Justice K. Sarath of the Telangana High Court declared that a married daughter is not entitled to a compassionate appointment on the death of her father if she has siblings. The judge dismissed a writ petition filed by G. Sowmya seeking employment in the government as a junior assistant on compassionate grounds; her father Shyam Sunder had died in harness as an assistant manager in government service. 

In a joint application with her mother, and her younger brother, Sowmya said that she was married in 2007 but her husband had deserted her before the demise of her father in 2018. The government rejected her case on the ground that the case of a married daughter of the deceased government employee for compassionate employment can be considered only when she does not



have an elder or younger brother or sister, and the spouse of the deceased employee is not willing to avail the offer. 

Justice Sarath reasoned that the scheme was to provide immediate succour to the family which may suddenly find itself in dire straits as a result of the death of the breadwinner. Therefore, it cannot be granted as a matter of course irrespective of the financial condition of the employee’s family at the time of death or incapacity. 

Compassionate employment is permissible only to one of the dependents of the deceased/incapacitated employee. Interpreting the government memo, he declared that the petitioner was not eligible to seek a compassionate appointment.