Giving kin job the least we can do: Retd judge

Justice K P Sivasubramaniam (retd)

23.04.2020

We have exposed to ourselves how barbarian we are by not allowing the body of a doctor, a victim of Covid-19, to be buried or cremated. I am of the view that it is not sufficient to just give kin of such victims a compensation.In addition, one of their family members should be appointed to a government service. Appointments on compassionate grounds are now misused, granted even for deaths due to natural causes unconnected with their duties or after retiring voluntarily, violating regular recruitment process.

I had dealt with the issue in one of the cases placed before me and had given a detailed judgment condemning such practice and held that such appointments should be restricted only to cases of deaths resulting directly from the performance of duties as in the case of Army, electricity board, drainage workers, police. The death of a doctor or any paramedical/ nurse as a result of unusual riskof duty whiletreating Covid-19 patients is an extraordinary situation that warrants such appointments. Even in the case of death of a non-governmental person, as a special case, such appointments can be granted based on their qualification or if the family member is a student with an admission into a professional course subject to satisfying required qualification.Thisistheleastthecountry can do for people who perform unenviable duty to the public.