In Brief
In 2006, a Gram Panchayat in Muzaffarpur advertised for Anganwadi Sevika positions. The merit list ranked the 9th Respondent first and the appellant second. When the appellant was appointed, the 9th Respondent challenged it. After proceedings, the authorities rejected the 9th Respondent as ineligible because her father was a government teacher—grounds under the applicable guidelines. The High Court allowed her writ petition, reasoning her eligibility based on her matrimonial residence in Muzaffarpur. The Supreme Court reversed this, holding that the guidelines must be applied as written without creating distinctions between married and unmarried daughters. The appeal was allowed and fresh recruitment ordered under current guidelines.
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