Most. Meera Singh vs State of Jharkhand and Others

S.J. Mukhopadhaya, J.—The husband of petitioner Late Gupteshwar Prasad Singh was Executive Officer in the Bihar State Tribal Development Co-operative Corporation (''Corporation'', for short) at Ranchi and died in harness on 25th June, 1991 in a motor accident. The petitioner-widow applied for compassionate appointment on 25th October, 1991 when she was about 29 years old but the respondents could not proceed in the matter, there being no Compassionate Appointment Committee for selection and appointment in the Corporation. The name of petitioner was forwarded to the State Government to place her name before the Compassionate Appointment Committee but it was rejected on the ground that the petitioner became overage by the time of consideration.

In the counter-affidavit the Corporation has taken plea that there is no such Committee in the Corporation to consider the case of petitioner for appointment on compassionate ground.

The stand of the State Government is that the Corporation is not an integral part of the State nor is empowered to consider the case of any dependent of deceased employee of the Corporation.

Having regard to the facts and circumstances, as the application preferred by the petitioner was well within time and she was not overage, the case is remitted to the Corporation and its authorities to consider the case of petitioner for appointment on compassionate ground within three months from the date of receipt/production of a copy of this order.

If there is no Committee for selection the Managing Director will constitute a Committee of officials of the Corporation for consideration of the case of the petitioner.

The writ petition stands disposed of with the aforesaid observations and direction.