IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT PATNA CWJC No.382 of 2009 Ganga Prasad Thakur, son of Late Satya Narayan Thakur, resident of village Rasuar, P.S. Marauna, District Supaul……………Petitioner Versus 1. The State Of Bihar. 2. The Commissioner-cum-Secretary, Water Resources Department, Govt. of Bihar, Patna. 3. The Chief Engineer, Head Quarter No.2, Water Resources Department, Birpur. 4. The Superintending Engineer, Baraj Circle Koshi Project, Water Resources Department, Birpur, District Supaul. 5. The Executive Engineer, Western Embankment Division, Koshi Project, Nirmali, Water Resources Department, Nirmali, District Supaul. 6. The District Compassionate Committee, Supaul represented though District Magistrate, Supaul. 7. The District Compassionate Committee, Saharsa represented through District Magistrate, Saharsa……………….……………..Respondents ----------- 2 17.05.2011 Heard learned counsel for the petitioner as well as learned counsel for the State. Petitioner has filed this writ application with a direction to the respondents to consider his case for compassionate appointment which he claims to be pending with the respondents till now. As per the pleadings, father of the petitioner died on 28.02.1978 while working as Bandh Mazdoor in work-charged establishment under the jurisdiction of 2 Executive Engineer, Western Embankment Division, Koshi Project, Nirmali. Thereafter petitioner applied for appointment on compassionate ground. From the documents annexed with the writ application as annexures it appears that upto 1990, the application of the petitioner was being forwarded and considered by the authorities at different levels. However, there is nothing on record to show that after 1990 any other step whatsoever was taken in the matter by the State Government. Petitioner has filed this writ application in 2009 i.e. almost after 20 years after the last correspondence available on record. Counter affidavit has been filed in the case stating that petitioner’s father was Bandh Mazdoor in the work-charged establishment. As per Government decision, it was only on completion of five years of service, he could be considered for being absorbed in regular establishment and thereafter only if he died, case of his any heir could be considered for appointment on compassionate ground. It is 3 stated that petitioner’s father on the last date had completed a period of four years, two months and six days only in work-charged establishment. Hence, he never became a regular employee in a regular establishment. Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that father of the petitioner was working as seasonal employee under the worked-charged establishment from 1970 itself. A seasonal employee is engaged for a few months of a season and only on temporary basis. In any case, petitioner has moved this Court almost after 20 years from the date of last consideration of his case for appointment on compassionate ground by the respondents. The application, therefore, suffers from gross delay and laches. The same is dismissed. BT (J. N. Singh, J.)