Dependents of 'blemished' employee have no right of appointments: SC

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court has ruled that dependents of an employee punished for corrupt practices or irregularities cannot claim appointments on compassionate ground.

A two-judge bench of Justices C K Thakker and D K Jain quashed the directions of the Allahabad High Court which had directed appointment of Anju Jain, a widow whose husband had died in harness.

The SBI under its relevant recruitment rules had rejected Anju Jain's plea for appointment on compassionate grounds on the plea that her husband who was working at Agra had been punished with stoppage of five annual increments after being involved in financial embezzlement.

However, a single judge and later a division bench of the High Court directed Anju Jain's appointment on the ground that the past conduct of her husband cannot be a reason for denying her appointment.

Aggrieved by the High Court order, the State Bank of India appealed in the apex court.

Upholding the appeal, the apex court said in a recent judgement the SBI was right in denying the appointment as the relevant rules had clearly rendered ineligible dependents of an employee whose service record was blemished on account of disciplinary action being taken against him.

"Past conduct of an employee is undoubtedly an important consideration. We are also of the view that the State Bank was right in rejecting the prayer of the wife of the deceased employee," the apex court added.