Supreme Court of India
HINDUSTAN AERONAUTICS LTD.versusSMT. A. RADHIKA THIRUMALAI
- Citation
- 1996 INSC 1171
- Decided
- 9 October 1996
- Disposal
- Appeal(s) allowed
- Bench
- S C AGRAWAL
Holding
A compassionate appointment under the appellant’s rules can be made only when a vacancy exists; the authority cannot create a supernumerary post in violation of Rule 78.3.
Summary
Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. (HAL), a public sector undertaking, had rules permitting compassionate appointments of dependents of deceased employees, subject to vacancy availability (Rule 78.3). After her husband, a Senior Inspector, died in 1987, the respondent applied for such an appointment and was placed on a waiting list. A ban on fresh recruitment meant no vacancy existed, and the respondent sought a mandamus directing HAL to create a supernumerary post. The Andhra Pradesh High Court ordered HAL to consider her for a Class III/IV post within two months, and the Division Bench upheld that a compassionate appointment could be made even without a vacancy by creating a supernumerary post. HAL appealed. The Supreme Court held that compassionate appointments are an exception to merit‑based recruitment but must strictly follow the governing rules, which require a vacancy; therefore, HAL could not create a supernumerary post. Consequently, the High Court judgments were set aside and the writ petition dismissed.
Issues considered
- Whether a compassionate appointment can be made in the absence of a vacancy under the appellant's rules.
- Whether the authority may create a supernumerary post to effect a compassionate appointment despite a ban on fresh recruitment.
- Whether the High Court correctly interpreted the precedent set in Smt. Sushma Gosain v. Union of India.
Subjects
compassionate appointmentpublic sector undertakingvacancy requirementsupernumerary postRule 78.3ban on recruitmentmerit based recruitmentwrit of mandamus
Judgment
HINDUSTAN AERONAUTICS LTD. A
v.
SMT. A. RADHIKA THIRUMALAI
OCTOBER 9, 1996
B
[S.C. AGRAWAL AND G.T. NANAVATI, JJ.)
SeTVice Law-Public SeTVices-Compassionate Appointments-An ex-
ception to general mle that appointments to be made on basis of merit-Ap-
pointment on compassionate ground to be given in accordance wit/I C
Rules-No person can claim such appointment in disregard of such mies or
guidelines.
Appellant, a public sector undertaking made rules providing for
employment on compassionate grounds providing that the General
', Managers were empowered to effect such appointment depending upon D
availability of vacancies in the respective staffing cadre/authorization. The
husband of the respondent, employed as Senior Inspector in one of. the
units of the appellant died in 1987. After his death the respondent sub·
mitted an application for appointment on compassionate grounds. Her
name was put on the wait list of candidates but on account of a ban having E
been imposed on further appointments no appointment could be made on
compassionate grounds out of that wait list. The respondent filed a writ
petition praying for a writ of mandamus directing the appellant to provide
suitable permanent employment to the respondent by creating a super·
numerary post. The High Court allowing the writ petition directed the
appellant to consider the candidature of the respondent on compassionate F
grounds to any suitable post in Class III or Class IV only. The appeal filed
against the judgment was dismissed by the Division Bench of the High
Court holding that appointment on compassionate grounds is given not·
withstanding whether there is any vacancy in the regular service or cadre
or post, by creating supernumerary post and continuing such super·
numerary appointment until a regular vacancy is made available. This G
appeal had been filed against the judgment of Division Bench.
The appellant submitted that during the last 10 years, owing to
change of policies, there was a serious decline in the work-order position
and there had been a progressive reduction of the workforce including H
357
358 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1996) SUPP. 7S.C.R.
A Class III and Class IV employees in all the units and that the High Court
was in error in holding that even when there is no vacancy available and
there is a ban on fresh recruitment it was incumbent on the appellant to
give appointment on compassionate grounds to the respondent.
The respondent supporting the judgment of the High Court sub-
B mitted that since appointments had admittedly been made by the appellant
on compassionate grounds in the medical department there was no reason
why the respondent could not be given an appointment on compassionate
grounds in that department.
C Allowing the appeal, this Court
HELD : Appointment in public services on compassionate ground
has been carved out as an exception, in the interests of justice, to the
general rule that appointments in the public services should be made
D strictly on the basis of open invitation on applications and merit and no ,
other mode of appointment nor any other consideration is permissible. A '
compassionate appointment is made out of pure humanitarian considera-
tion taking into consideration the fact that unless some source of
livelihood is provided the family would not be able to make both ends meet
and the whole object of granting such appointment is to enable the family
E to tide over the sudden crisis. An appointment on compassionate ground
has to be given in accordance with the relevant rules and guidelines that
have been framed by the concerned authority and no person can claim
appointment on compassionate grounds in disregard of such rule or such
guideline. In the appellant company appointment on compassionate
p grounds was governed by rules. Under Rule 78.1 provision was made that
one of the dependents of the deceased employee could be ~onsidered for
appointment in the company in preference to other applicants without
being sponsored by employment exchange. But in Rule 78.3 it had been
laid down that such appointment would be made depending upon the
availability of vacancies in the respective staffing cadre/authorization. An
G appointment on compassionate grounds could be made only if a vacancy
was available. In the instant case the ban on fresh recruitment was in force
when the respondent submitted the application for appointment on com-
passionate grounds. There was nothing to show that any appointment on
compassionate grounds had been made in the medical department after
H the respondent had submitted her application for such appointment. It
HINDU SI'AN AERONAUTICS LTD. v. AR THIRUMALAI [S.C. AGRAWAL, J.] 359
could not, therefore, be said that any vacancy was available for making A
such appointment in that department. All that could be held was that in
the event of the appellant making fresh appointment on a Class III or
Class IV post the application of the respondent for appointment on such
post shall be given due consideration in accordance with her ranking in
the waiting list. [361-F-H, 362-B-D, 364-B-C]
B
Smt. Sushma Gosain & Ors. v. Union of India & Ors., [1989] 4 SCC
468, distinguished.
- Life Insurance Corporation of India v. Asha Ramchhandra Ambekar
&Anr., [1994] 2 SCC 718; Umesh Kumar Nagpal v. State of Haryana & Ors., C
[1994] 4 SCC 138; State of Haryana v. Naresh Kumar Bali, [1994] 4 SCC
448 and Himachal Road Transport Corpn. v. Shri Dinesh Kumar, (1996) 4
SCALE 395, relied on.
CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION: Civil Appeal No. 12889 of
1996. I>
From the Judgment and Order dated 26.4.96 of the Andhra Pradesh
High Court in W.A. No. 103/96.
A.N. Jayaram, Narayan B. Shetye and Vineet Kumar for the Appel-
!ant. E
L. Nageshwara Rao, V. Sridhar Reddy and S. Udaya Kumar Sagar
for the Respondent.
The Judgment of the Court was delivered by
F
S.C. AGRAWAL, J. Special Leave granted.
Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd., appellant herein, is a public sector
undertaking having a number of units in the country and one such unit is
located at Hyderabad. The appellant has made rules providing for employ- G
ment on compassionate grounds. Rule 76.1 prescribes that one of the
dependents of the deceased employee could be considered for appoint-
ment in the company, in preference to other applicants without being
sponsored by the employment exchange. In Rule 78.3 it is, however, laid
down that the General Managers are empowered to effect such appoint-
ment depending upon availability of vacancies in the respective staffing H
360 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1996] SUPP. 7 S.C.R.
A cadre/authorization. AS. Thirumalai, the husband of the respondent, was
employed as Senior Inspector (Quality Control) in the Hyderabad Unit of
the appellant. He died on August 10, 1987. After his death the respondent
submitted an application for appointment on compassionate grounds. Since
a number of other applications had been received earlier for such appoint-
ment on compassionate grounds the name of the respondent was put on
t~e wait list of candidates who had applied for employment on compas-
sionate grounds. Her name was at SL No.22 in the said wait list. On account
of a ban having been imposed on further appointments in the various units
nf the appellant no appointment could be made on compassionate grounds
out of the said wait list. The respondent filed a writ petition (W.P. No.
C 12896 of 1991) in the Andhra Pradesh High Court praying for a writ of
mandamus directing the appellant to provide suitable permanent employ-
ment to the respondent by creating a supernumerary post. The writ petition
was opposed by the appellant on the ground that no vacancy was available
since there was a ban on fresh recruitment and, therefore, appointment
D could not be given to the respondent. The learned Single Judge of the High
Court by judgment dated July 21, 1995 issued a writ of mandamus directing
the appellant to consider the candidature of the respondent on compas-
sionate grounds to any suitable post in Class III or Class IV only, if found
suitable and eligible, to appoint her to such post within a period of two
months. The learned Single Judge rejected the submission urged on behalf
E of the appellant that since there was a ban on further recruitment the
appointment could not be given on compassionate grounds to the respon-
dent. Reliance was placed on the observations contained in the decision of
· this Court in Smt. Sushma Gosain & Ors. v. Union of India & Ors., [1989]
4 sec 468. The appeal filed by the appellant against the judgment of the
F learned Single Judge was dismissed by the Division Bench of the High
Court by judgment dated April 26, 1996. It was held that appointment on
compassionate grounds is given notwithstanding whether there is any
vacancy in the regular service or cadre or post, by creating supernumerary
post and continuing such supernumerary appointment until a regular
vacancy is made available and the dependant of the bread winner is
G brought to the main stream of the service. Feeling aggrieved by the said
judgment of the Division Bench of the High Court the appellant has filed
this appeal.
Shri A.N. Jayaram, the learned senior counsel appearing for the
H appellant, has submitted that the appellant is a high-tech Government
· tllNDUSfAN AERONAUTICSLTD.v. AR TIIIRUMALAI[S.C.AGRAWAL,J.] 361
company essentially attempting to meet defence requirements of aircrafts A
and that during the last 10 years, owing to change of polices, there is a
serious decline in the work-order position and as a result the appellant is
compelled to progressively decrease its manpower by placing a ban on
fresh recruitment and offering incentives for voluntary retirement. It has
been pointed out that during the period April, 1987 to April i, 1996 there
B
has been a progressive reduction of the workforce including Class III and
IV employees in all the units including the Hyderabad unit. The submission
is that the High Court was in error in holding that even when there fa no
vacancy available and there is a ban on fresh recruitment it was incumbent
on the appellant to give appointment on compassionate grounds to the
respondent. Shri Jayaram has place reliance on the decisions of this Court C
in Life l11sura11ce C01poratio11 of India v. Asha Ramchhandra Ambekar &
Anr., [1994] 2 SCC 718; Umesh Kumar Nagpal v. State of Haryana & Ors.,
. [1994] 4 SCC 138; State of Haryana v. Naresh Kumar Bali, [1994] 4 SCC
448 and Himachal Road Tra11sp01t Corpn. v. Shri Dinesh Kumar, (1996) 4
SCALE 395.
D
Shri Nageshwara Rao, the learned counsel appearing for the respon-
dent, has supported the impugned judgment of the High Court and has
submitted that since appointments have admittedly been made by the
appellant on compassionate grounds in the medical department there was
no reason why the respondent could not be given an appointment on E
compassionate grounds in that department.
In Umesh Kumar Nagpal (supra) this Court has pointed out that
appointment in public services on compassionate ground has been carved
out as ah exception, in the interests of justice, to the general rule that F
appointments in the public services should be made strictly on the basi~ of
op.en invitation of applications and merit and not other mode of appoint-
·ment nor any other consideration is permissible. A compassionate appoint-
ment is made out of pure humanitarian consideration taking into
consideration the fact that unless some source of livelihood is provided the G
family would not be able to make both ends meet and the whole object of
granting such appointment is to enable the family to tide over the sudden
crisis. This Court has also laid down that an appointment' on compassionate
ground has to be given in accordance with the relevant rules and guidelines
that have been framed by the concerned authority and no person can claim
appointment on compassionate grounds in disregard of such rule or such H
362 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1996) SUPP. 7 S.C.R.
A guideline (See : Life Insurance Corporation v. Asha Ramchhandra Ambekar
(supra)].
In the appellant company appointment on compassionate grounds is
governed by rules. Under Rule 78.1 provision is made that one of the
B dependants of the deceased employee could be considered for appoint-
ment in the company in preference to other applicants without being
sponsored by employment exchange. But in Rule 78.3 it has been laid down
that such appointment would be made depending upon the availability of
vacancies in the respective staffing cadre/authorization. In other words, an
appointment on compassionate grounds can be made only if a vacancy is
C available. According to the appellant no vacancy is available since there is
surplus labour and the policy of the appellant is to progressively reduce
the workforce and with that end in view a ban has been imposed on fresh
recruitment and the appellant is also offering incentives for voluntary
retirement. The learned Single Judge of the High Court was of the view
D that in spite of such a ban on fresh recruitment it was obligatory for the
appellant to make appointment on compassionate grounds. The learned
Single Judge has placed reliance on the following observations of this Court
in Sushma Gosain (supra) at p. 470 :
"We consider that it must be stated unequivocally that in all claims
E for appointment on compassionate grounds, there should not be
any delay in appointment. The purpose of providing appointment
on compassionate ground is to mitigate the hardship due to death
of the bread earner in the family. Such appointment should, there-
fore, be provided immediately to redeem the family in distress. It
F is improper to keep such case pending for years. If there is no
suitable post for appointment supernumerary post should be
created to accommodate the applicant."
In Umesh Kumar Nagpal (supra) it has been indicated that the
decision of Sushma Gosain (supra) has been misinterpreted to the point
G of distortion and that the decision does not justify compassionate appoint-
ment as a matter of course. The observations on which reliance has been
placed by the learned Single Judge in Sushma Gosain (supra) have to be
read in the light of the facts of that particular case. In that case the
appellant, Smt. Sushma Gosain, after the death of he husband, who was
H working as Storekeeper in the Department of Director General Border
HINDUSTAN AERONAUTICS LTD. v. A.R. THIRUMAIAI [S.C. AGRAWAL, J.] 363
R0ad, sought appointment as Lower Division Clerk on compassionate A
grounds. In January, 1983 she was called for the written test and later on
for interview and had passed the trade test. She was, however, not ap-
pointed till January, 1985 when a ban was imposed on appointed on ladies
in the said Department. Having regard to these facts this Court has
observed:
B
"............. Sushma Gosain made an application for appointment as
Lower Division Clerk as far back in November 1982. She had then
a right to have her case considered for appointment on compas-
sionate ground under the aforesaid Government memorandum. In
1983, she passed the trade test and the interview conducted by the C
DGBR. There is absolutely no reason to make her to wait till 1983
when the ban on appointment of ladies was imposed. The denial
of appointment is patently arbitrary and cannot be supported in
any view of the matter." (p. 470)
In the instant case the ban on fresh recruitment was in force when D
the respondent submitted the application for appointment on compas-
sionate grounds. The decision in Sushma Gosain (supra) has, therefore, no
application in the facts of this case.
A situation similar to the present case arose in Himachal Road
E
Transport Corporation v. Dinesh Kumar (supra). In that case this Court was
dealing with two cases where applications had been submitted by the
dependents of the deceased employees for appointment on compassionate
grounds and both of them were placed on the waiting list and had not been
given appointment. They approached the Himachal Pradesh Administra-
tive Tribunal and the Tribunal directed the Himachal Road Transport F
Corporation to appoint both of them as Clerk on regular basis. Setting
aside the said decision of the Tribunal this Court has observed :
' .......... In the absence of a vacancy it is not open to the Corporation
to appoint a person to any post. It will be a gross abuse of the G
powers of a public authority to appoint persons when vacancies
are not available. It persons are so appointed and paid salaries, it
will be a mere misuse of public funds, which is totally unauthorised.
Normally, even if the Tribunal finds that a person is qualified to
be appointed to a post under the kith and kin policy, the Tribunal
Should only give a direction to the appropriate authority to con- H
364 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (1996) SUPP. 7 S.C.R.
A sider the case of the particular applicant, in the light of the relevant
rules and subject to the availability of the post. It is not open to
the Tribunal either to direct the appointment of any person to a
post or direct the concerned authorities to create a supernumerary
post and then appoint a person to such a post." (p. 397)
B As regards the submission of Shri Nageshwara Rao that the respon-
dent could be given compassionate appointment in the medical department
it may be sJated that there is nothing to show that any appointment on
compassionate ground has been made in the medical department after the
respondent had submitted her application for such appointment. It cannot,
C · therefore, be said that any vacancy is available for making such appoint-
ment in that department. All that can be said is that in the event of the
appellant making fresh appointment on a Class III or Class IV post the
application of the respondent for appointment on such Post shall be given
due consideration in accordance with her ranking in the waiting list.
D For the reasons aforementioned we are unable to uphold the im-
pugned judgment of the High Court. The appeal is accordingly allowed,
the judgment of the High Court dated April 26, 1996 in Writ Appeal No.
103of1996 as well as the judgment of the learned Single Judge dated July
21, 1995 in W.P. No. 12896 of 1991 are set aside and the writ petition filed
E by the respondent is dismissed. No order as to costs.
R.A. Appeal allowed.
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