The compassionate appointment policy requires fair assessment of family income post-death without arbitrary inclusion of unrelated income, especially in urgent financial situations.

Judgment :

J.J. MUNIR, J.

1. This writ petition is directed against the order dated 09.09.2024 passed by the Chief Manager, Punjab National Bank, Circle Office, Bulandshahr, rejecting the petitioner's claim for compassionate appointment. Also, under challenge is a report of the Committee of Officers dated 16.07.2024, recommending a rejection of the petitioner's proposal for compassionate appointment as well as the decision of the Committee of Officers dated 29.08.2024, resolving to decline the petitioner's claim.

2. The petitioner's father, the late Suraj Pal, was a Class IV employee at the Punjab National Bank,('Bank' for short) last posted at Branch Gulawati, District Bulandshahr. He passed away in harness on 05.03.2021, due to a heart attack, while in the care and management of the Metro Hospital. He left behind a widowed mother, Premwati Singh, wife Kamlesh, daughter Pooja and two sons, Arjun Singh and Sanjay Kumar, the petitioner. After Suraj Pal's demise, the petitioner's wife, Kamlesh, represented the matter before the Bank, seeking compassionate appointment for him. The petitioner's brother Arjun Singh as well as sister Pooja filed affidavits of no objection as regards the petitioner's candidature for compassionate appointment. The petitioner asserts that he possesses the essential qualifications for appointment to a considerable post with the Bank under the compassionate appointment scheme then prevalent. He possesses a certificate of intermediate education, that he earned in the year 2022 from the Uttar Pradesh Board of High School and Intermediate Education. After the petitioner's father's demise, his mother, Kamlesh, also did not survive for long. She suffered from ill heath and passed away on 11.01.2022. The family spent a considerable sum of money in paying for the petitioner's father's and mother's treatment.

3. At the time of his demise, Suraj Pal was in receipt of salary to the tune of ₹24110 per 24110 per mensem. After his death, no sum of money was paid by the Bank to his dependants. The petitioner asserts that a considerable sum of money was spent on his mother's treatment, after his father passed away. He has annexed a photostat copy of Kamlesh's bank account, besides that of his father's, Suraj Pal, to prove the fact. It is the petitioner's case that he does not have a suitable source of livelihood and works as a casual labourer in the village, though he is the holder of an intermediate certificate. He has been issued a certificate in this regard by the Village Pradhan.

4. The petitioner, therefore, moved an application before the Bank, seeking compassionate appointment on 26.11.2022, stating all facts and circumstances of the family. Since no action was taken by the Bank, the petitioner instituted Writ - A No. 22164 of 2022, seeking to secure compassionate appointment for himself. The said writ petition was disposed of at the admission stage on 31.01.2023, after hearing learned Counsel for the Bank and acting on his statement that the petitioner's application is under active consideration of the Bank and would be considered and decided within fifteen days. This Court directed the Bank to decide the petitioner's application for compassiona