The Director of Town Panchayat & Ors. v. M. Jayabal & Ors.
Compassionate appointment, once accepted, cannot be re-opened to claim a higher post; belated claims defeat the very object of such appointment. Neutral Citation & Date: 2025 INSC 1423 · Decided on 12 December 2025 Case Title: The Director of Town Panchayat & Ors. v. M. Jayabal & Ors. (connected appeals) Court: Supreme Court of India, Civil Appellate Jurisdiction Bench: Rajesh Bindal, J.; Manmohan, J. Background The respondents were dependants of deceased employees who had served as sweepers. Upon their fathers’ deaths, they applied for and were granted compassionate appointment as sweepers, which they accepted and joined. Several years later (after gaps of about three and nine years respectively), they filed writ petitions before the Madras High Court seeking appointment to the higher post of Junior Assistant, asserting that they were qualified at the time of initial appointment. The Single Judge allowed the claim, which was affi...