M.Y.EQBAL, J. - (1.) THE petitioners have challenged the order passed by the respondents which was communicated to them vide letters dated 9.5.2002 and 20.5.2002 whereby the competent authority has expressed its inability to appoint petitioner No. 2 on compassionate ground for the reasons stated in the said letters.
(2.) PETITIONERS ' case is that the deceased husband of petitioner No. 1 and father of petitioner No. 2 was serving in the respondent -Bank as Armed Guard. He worked from 1996 to 1998 and, thereafter died.in harness in 1998. The petitioners, thereafter, made an application for appointment of petitioner No. 2 on compassionate ground. The said application was rejected on the ground that the income shown by the bereaved family was sufficient to maintain the petitioners. The respondents, in their counter affidavit, have stated that as per the policy and rules of the Bank compassionate appointment is given in cases where it is found that the family of the deceased employee is not in a position to sustain their lives due to sudden demise of the deceased employee. The respondents ' further case is that the deceased husband of petitioner No. 1 was an ex -Army man and after retirement from the Army, he was getting pension. After his death the petitioners are drawing family pension and other reliefs amounting to Rs. 2,526/ - per month. It is further stated that the respondent -Bank, on his death.has also paid gratuity and provident fund amount to the petitioners and the widow is also getting pension of Rs. 2,896/ - from the Bank. It is,, therefore, contended that as per the rules of the Bank the petitioner No. 2 is not entitled to get compassionate appointment.
(3.) ADMITTED facts which emerge from the affidavits are that the deceased husband of petitioner No. 1 was the ex -service man and after his retirement he joined the Bank as Armed Guard. The deceased was getting pension and after his death the petitioners have been getting family pension from the Government. Petitioners have also" been paid retiral benefits and have been getting family pension for the respondent -Bank. It is well settled that the object of compassionate appointment is to give immediate relief to the family of the deceased. Mere death of the employee does not entitle the family to compassionate appointment.;