IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT PATNA CWJC No.2530 of 2007 ARMAN AHMAD, son of late Manir Ahmad, resident of village + P.O. Dhanauti, P.S. Daroundha, District Siwan … Petitioner Versus 1. THE STATE OF BIHAR 2. The Secretary cum Commissioner, Irrigation Department, Bihar, Patna 3. The Chief Engineer, Irrigation Department, Bihar, Patna 4. The Superintendent Egnineer, Gandak Yojana, Chapra 5. The Executive Engineer, Gandak Yojna, Chapra … Respondents ----------- 3. 8.4.2011 Heard counsel for the petitioner and the counsel for the State. The prayer of the petitioner in this writ application seeking direction for his appointment on compassionate ground has neither been opposed nor been supported and it is only being said in the counter affidavit filed today that the matter is under serious consideration and the petitioner has been informed to send some more necessary papers for final decision. This Court fails to understand the callousness on the part of the respondents in deciding the case of the petitioner. The father of the petitioner died on 1.6.2003. The application seeking compassionate appointment was filed on 15.6.2004 and now it is seven years that a final decision has 2 not been taken. The very purpose of making compassionate appointment would get frustrated if there would be such a delay in taking a final decision by the authorities. The Government policy also does not suggest that there can be such a delay in considering the cases of compassionate appointment. No enquiry whatsoever can be justified which would take away the very essence of compassionate appointment. The submission of the counsel for the State that the petitioner had passed matriculation examination from Allahabad and that had required some verification is only to be noted for its being rejected. Making verification from Allahabad should not have taken even a period of one month had the respondents been sincere to the cause. This Court in fact is disturbed in the manner in which cases of compassionate appointment are being dealt and decided by the authorities. There can of course no standard firm time limit for deciding all cases of compassionate appointment but if the Government has really an intention of appointing a deserving dependent of a 3 deceased government servant on compassionate ground, it must also of its own lay down a firm time limit which in fact would also eliminate many of the frivolous cases at the inception. It would be, thus, necessary for the Chief Secretary of the State of Bihar to address himself to the desirability of fixing a standard time limit for taking a final decision in the matter of compassionate appointment. Here in this case on the death of a lowly paid driver, his dependent family members have been suffering for more than seven years and a decision either in affirmative or negative is yet to be taken. To say the least the present State of affairs is not only appalling but shocking and cannot be justified by an efficient administration embedded to the philosophy of a welfare state. Be that as it may, this Court would direct the respondents to consider the case of the petitioner for his appointment on compassionate ground by taking a final decision within a period of three months from the date of receipt/ production of a 4 copy of this order and the same should also be communicated to the petitioner within the same period. With the aforementioned observation and direction, this application is disposed of. Let a copy of this order be also sent to the Chief Secretary of the Govt. of Bihar for doing needful for improving the delay in deciding the cases of compassionate appointment. (Mihir Kumar Jha,J.) Surendra/