ALLAHABAD HIGH COURT
ASHWANI KUMAR MISHRA
SMT. USHA DEVI – Appellant
Versus
STATE OF U.P. AND 3 ORS. – Respondent
WRIA/38488/2016
Court No. - 33
Case :- WRIT - A No. - 38488 of 2016
Petitioner :- Smt. Usha Devi
Respondent :- State Of U.P. And 3 Ors.
Counsel for Petitioner :- Gulab Chandra,Pradeep Kumar
Counsel for Respondent :- C.S.C.
Hon'ble Ashwani Kumar Mishra,J.
Petitioner is a married daughter. Her mother was employed
as Peon who died on 15.12.2015 while she was in service.
An application for grant of compassionate appointment has
been moved by the petitioner, which was rejected by the
order impugned dated 25.7.2016 on the ground that being
a married daughter petitioner does not form part of family
under Rule 2 (c) of the U.P. Recruitment of Dependants of
Government Servant Dying-in-Harness Rules, 1974.
A Division Bench of this Court in Writ-C No. 60881 of 2015,
has been pleased to hold as under:-
"In conclusion, we hold that the exclusion of married daughters from the
ambit of the expression "family" in Rule 2 (c) of the Dying-in-Harness
Rules is illegal and unconstitutional, being violative of Articles 14 and 15
of the Constitution.
We, accordingly, strike down the word 'unmarried' in Rule 2 (c) (iii) of the
Dying-in-Harness Rules.
In consequence, we direct that the claim of the petitioners for
compassionate appointment shall be reconsidered. We clarify that the
competent authority would be at liberty to consider the claim for
compassionate appointment on the basis of all the relevant facts and
circumstances and the petitioners shall not be excluded from consideration
only on the ground of their marital status.
The writ petitions shall, accordingly, stand allowed. There shall be no
order as to costs."
A Special Leave Petition No. 22646 of 2016 (The State of
Uttar Pradesh and another Vs. Neha Srivastava) filed
against the aforesaid judgment has been dismissed on
23.7.2019.
It is contended that in view of the Division Bench judgment
of this Court, respondents cannot denied consideration to
petitioner's claim only on the ground that she is not a
member of 'family'.
Learned Standing Counsel appearing for the respondents
states that in view of the pronouncement of law by this
Court in the case of Smt. Vimla Srivastava v. State of U.P.
and Another, 2016 (1) ADJ 21 (DB), the authority concerned
shall revisit the issue.
The claim of petitioner for compassionate appointment
cannot be denied only on the ground that the petitioner is
a married daughter.
Writ petition accordingly succeeds and is allowed. Order
impugned dated 25.7.2016 passed by the respondent no.2
(Annexure - 6 to the writ petition) stands quashed. A fresh
decision would be taken by the authority concerned within
a period of three months from today, keeping in view the
judgment of this Court in the case of Smt. Vimla Srivastava
(supra).
Order Date :- 22.3.2021
Ranjeet Sahu