Court Questions Gender Bias in Compassionate Appointments for Married Daughters vs Sons

The Delhi High Court has been approached by a petition that alleges a systematic denial of compassionate appointments to married daughters, while married sons of the same families receive such posts. Compassionate appointments, a provision that allows relatives of deceased government employees to be placed in vacant posts, are intended to provide financial relief to bereaved families. The petitioner argues that the selective application of this rule violates the constitutional guarantee of equality and the government's own service rules.

The filing cites several recent cases where daughters were turned down on the grounds of marital status, whereas sons were appointed without similar scrutiny. It seeks a directive for the government to apply the provision uniformly, irrespective of gender, and requests the court to issue guidelines to prevent future discrimination.

Legal experts note that while compassionate appointments have long been a contentious issue, this challenge could set a precedent for gender‑neutral implementation across central and state services. The court is expected to hear oral arguments in the coming weeks, and a ruling could impact thousands of pending appointments nationwide.