Authority: High Court (Calcutta)
Order Date: 30 June 2026
Case Overview
- Parties: petitioner Sri Bikram Singh vs. Principal Secretary, Department of Power (Electricity), Government of West Bengal and others; counsel Manas Mitra & Abhishek Biswas for petitioner, Sujit Sankar Koley for WBSEDCL.
- Background: Petitioner's father, an employee of WBSEDCL, died in October 2010 after ~20 years of service. Mother applied for compassionate appointment in 2010 but was rejected due to lack of qualifications. Petitioner applied in 2022, 12 years after death.
- Legal issue: Whether the application, filed beyond the statutory 2‑year period (extendable to 5 years), could be considered; also whether the family’s financial situation warranted relief.
- Court observations: WBSEDCL rules require application within 2 years of death, extendable only in special circumstances up to 5 years. The petitioner's 2022 application exceeded even the extended period by about 7 years. The mother had the option of monetary compensation but did not claim it; the family was not in financial distress. No justification for setting aside the rejection dated 20 June 2022.
Final Outcome
- The writ petition is dismissed; the order of 20 June 2022 rejecting the compassionate appointment is upheld.
- Parties may obtain an urgent certified copy of the order upon providing usual undertakings.
Topics: Compassionate Appointment, Employment Law