Bikram Singh v. Principal Secretary, Department Of Power( Electricity, Govt. Of W.B.) And ORS.

30.06.2026 sdas WPA 13548 of 2026 Sri Bikram Singh VS Principal Secretary, Department of Power (Electricity, Government of West Bengal) & Ors. Mr. Manas Mitra Mr. Abhishek Biswas ..... for the petitioners Mr. Sujit Sankar Koley .....for the WBSEDCL

1. Let affidavit-of-service, as filed in Court, be kept on record.

2. The petitioner's grievance is that his application on the ground of compassionate appointment was summarily rejected some time in 2022.

3. Petitioner's father was an employee with the West Bengal State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (in short "WBSEDCL"). He expired some time tin October, 2010, having completed almost 20 years in service and attaining the age of 50 years. Petitioner's mother had applied for an appointment on compassionate ground, which was rejected as she did not have the minimum qualification required for such appointment. The petitioner, thereafter, applied in 2022, almost 12 years after his father's death.

4. Only plausible ground shown by the petitioner is that when such application was made by his mother

in 2010, he was minor and could not have applied prior to 2022.

5. The Rules of the WBSEDCL are clear and unequivocal. The application for appointment on compassionate ground has to be made within a period of 2 years from the date of death of the employee. This period of 2 years is further relaxable by another term of 5 years. This relaxation is given only in special circumstances. In the present case, even if one was to take the period of 5 years, assuming that the period was relaxed in case of the petitioner, the application has been made beyond such time, almost after 12 years.

6. It was only on the ground that the authorities on June 20, 2022 proceeded to reject the application of the petitioner.

7. In addition to the aforestated timelines, this writ petition, filed in 2026, is almost after a period of 4 years since rejection of the application made by the petitioner for appointment on compassionate ground. None of these aforestated timelines have been explained by the petitioner.

8. The very basis and purpose of compassionate appointment is that the family of a person, who was regularly employed, is not left in the lurch upon his untimely death prior to his superannuation.

9. The widow of the employee, petitioner's mother, had the option to apply for a monetary compensation on being refused employment on compassionate ground as she did not have the requisite qualifications. She chose not to exercise such an option and did not seek financial compensation in lieu of the appointment on compassionate ground.

10. The point is clear that the family of the petitioner was not in a financial distress and has been carrying on daily affairs since 2010 till now without much stress.

11. I do not find any reason to set aside or rescind the order of June 20, 2022, passed by the authorities, rejecting the claim of the petitioner.

12. In view of the aforestated, the writ petition fails and is accordingly dismissed.

13. Urgent photostat certified copy of the order, if applied for, be given to the parties upon usual undertakings.

(Reetobroto Kumar Mitra, J.)