Kolkata, Nov 18 (PTI) The Calcutta High Court on Tuesday refused a prayer for a job on compassionate grounds to a candidate who was a minor when his father died as an assistant headmaster of a school, holding that there is no scope for reservation of vacancies to be filled up by the heir of the deceased upon attaining majority.
Petitioner Sayed Shahinoor Zaman’s lawyer stated before the court that his father died in harness in 2010 when he was only eight years old and that he made the application for a job on compassionate grounds in June, 2025.
“There is no scope of reservation of vacancies to be filled up by the heir of a deceased upon attaining majority,” Justice Amrita Sinha observed, rejecting the petition.
A teacher in a West Bengal government-aided school in Murshidabad district died in harness in September 2010, after working for 16 years when he had been promoted as assistant headmaster there, the petitioner’s lawyer stated before the court.
He claimed that the mother of the petitioner had made a representation to the school authorities for a job on compassionate ground, but that was not considered by the district inspector of schools, Murshidabad.
The court noted that the petitioner could not produce any document to prove that an application was made for compassionate appointment.
The petitioner’s lawyer, stated before the court that he had made an application to the school authorities for a job under compassionate ground upon attaining adulthood, but it has been kept pending before the office of the district inspector of schools, Murshidabad.
It was prayed that the district inspector of schools, Murshidabad, be directed to consider petitioner Zaman’s application seeking compassionate appointment.
The court said that the law relating to compassionate appointment is well-settled that an applicant who does not have any right to make an application on the date of death of the employee, does not have a right to do so when he attains majority.
“There is no scope of reservation of vacancies to be filled up by the heir of a deceased upon attaining majority,” Justice Sinha said.
The court observed that compassionate appointment is not the regular mode of service and the same is provided to tide over the immediate financial crisis faced by the family upon the death of the breadwinner.
The court said that the application cannot be directed to be considered since the death occurred in 2010 and the application was made in 2025.
“There is no scope to show compassion to the heir of a deceased at such a belated stage,” the court said, dismissing the petition. PTI AMR RG
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