Entitlement to compassionate jobs

Where a government employee dies in harness while on duty, his dependants are eligible to compassionate appointment. But Supreme Court has clarified in cases like M/s Eastern Coalfields Ltd. Vs. Anil Badyakar & Ors.¹ that such appointment cannot be claimed unless his family faces abject penury and does not have sufficient resources to meet the minimum expenses necessary to live decent life.

Also, initially where dependents included only the wife or next eligible kith or kin, now even the second wife of deceased is entitled to claim compassionate appointment if the first wife does not object.² But in the case of Uttaranchal Jal Sansthan Vs. Laxmi Devi and others³, it is held that the dependants of casual, adhoc or temporary employees are generally not eligible for such appointments.