In Brief
The State of Himachal Pradesh refused to appoint Parkash Chand on compassionate grounds after his father's death because his brother was employed with the Himachal Pradesh Electricity Board. The High Court set aside the rejection, requiring the State to reconsider the application despite the existing employment. The Supreme Court held that compassionate appointment is governed by policy terms, not a matter of right. Courts cannot rewrite a policy's eligibility conditions during judicial review. The State's policy explicitly bars employment assistance to second or third family members when one is already in government service, with a limited exception only for widows. The High Court's direction violated this boundary, so the appeal was allowed and the High Court's judgment set aside.
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