Married sister also eligible for compassionate employment, rules HC

The Telangana High Court on Wednesday ruled that a married sister of a deceased employee is also eligible for compassionate appointments, holding that denial of compassionate appointment to a sister because she was not dependent on the deceased employee would amount to gender discrimination.

The ruling was issued by Justice P. Madhavi Devi, who was dealing with a petition filed by Munigala Deepa and Roshni, the mother and sister of Naresh, who died while working with the Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL).

In the first place, Naresh got the job on compassionate quota in the company, after his father had died during the service. However, Naresh also died after serving for one year.

But, officials of Singareni Collieries refused to give a compassionate appointment to his married sister, Roshini, on the



grounds that she is married and thus, was not dependent on her brother. Challenging the same, Roshini approached the High Court.

Sanjeev Kalvala, counsel for the petitioner, brought to the notice of the court a Supreme Court ruling, wherein it upheld the decision of the Jharkhand High Court to list married or unmarried sisters as eligible persons to be considered for compassionate appointment and that non-consideration would amount to gender discrimination, in a similar issue.

As the Supreme Court has upheld the decision, this would be considered as the guideline, the counsel argued.

Considering the submission by Sanjeev Kalvala, the Telangana High Court issued directions to Singareni Collieries Company Ltd to appoint the petitioner on compassionate quota.