Not All Married Daughters Are Eligible For Jobs On Compassionate Grounds: Telangana HC

Jobs on Compassionate Grounds: The Telangana high court on Wednesday observed that married daughters need not be given jobs on grounds of compassion if they were not dependent on their parents.

Chief Justice Hima Kohli said, "It is alright to declare married women as eligible to gain employment on compassionate grounds upon the death of a serving parent, but it is also important to see whether such women were really in need of it." Along with justice B Vijaysen Reddy, she heard a woman's plea who wanted the job of her mother on compassionate grounds.

The petition was filed by Bandari Divya. She is the daughter of an employee of Ranga Reddy district court. Divya challenged the district judge's decision to reject her employment application. Her mother Bandari Swaroopa worked in the Ranga Reddy district court as a process server. She got the job on compassionate grounds after the death of her husband. After her death in April 2020, her daughter, Divya demanded the job under the same criteria.

Nalin Kumar, the high court standing counsel argued that Divya got married 9 years ago and was leading an independent life. He said, "She is not depended on her mother's earnings". Divya's counsel, on the other hand, argued that Swaroopa had two daughters and since married daughters are also eligible to seek employment, they are eligible for the post.

Divya's sister gave a no-objection letter stating that the job can be handed over to her sister. The bench put forth that the rejection letter the district judge gave was not worded properly. While setting aside the letter, Justice Kohli said, "It says that it is unconstitutional to exclude a married woman, but in the end, it rejects the application of a married daughter. The rejection letter carried no reasons for the rejection."

The bench has now directed the district judge of Ranga Reddy to pass an order that will assign the reasons for the decision within four weeks.