Observing that there cannot be any discrimination between sons and
daughters in case of giving appointments on compassionate ground, the
Madurai Bench of the Madras HC  has directed the State to provide a job
on compassionate grounds to a married daughter of a deceased Government
servant.

Allowing a petition filed by M Sudha of Orathanadu in
Thanjavur district, Justice D Hari Paranthaman said that if marriage is
not a bar for such appointments in the case of son, the same yardstick
shall be applied in the case of daughter also.

Citing the
Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act 2007, which
places equal duty on both the son and daughter to take care of the
parents during old age, the judge said “Therefore in the case of death
of the parents, there cannot be any unequal treatment among the children
based on gender.”

Petitioner submitted that her father
Mathialagan was employed as Village Assistant in the Revenue Department.
He died on March 31, 2011, while in service. His daughters, including
the petitioner, were married at the time of his death.

Sudha
approached the Thanjavur Collector seeking a job on compassionate
grounds. However, the Collector declined to entertain her request citing
that she was married.