Kitchen Fire Or Windfall? The Allahabad High Court's Take On Compassionate Appointments

Introduction

Recently, the Allahabad High Court in the case of Chanchal Sonkar v. Chairman, State Bank of India¹ made a significant observation regarding compassionate appointments, stating that they are not intended to create a windfall for the kin of the deceased but are only meant to keep the "kitchen fire burning". This statement underscores the primary purpose of compassionate appointments, which is to provide immediate financial relief to the dependents of deceased employees facing unforeseen financial destitution.

Background

The case in question involves Chanchal Sonkar, who sought a compassionate appointment following the death of her husband in 2022. Her husband was employed by the State Bank of India (SBI), and upon his death, Chanchal Sonkar applied for a compassionate appointment to alleviate the financial distress faced by her family, aiming to provide financial stability for her family. Her application was rejected by the SBI on the grounds that