The Madhya Pradesh High Court, in a ruling on May 4, clarified that compassionate appointments are a concession to prevent financial distress for bereaved families, not a heritable property right. This decision arose from a case involving a deceased government employee from Ratlam district, Madhya Pradesh, whose son and married daughter both claimed compassionate appointments following his death in June 2020. The court found that the son holds statutory priority over his sister, as the family depended on the father's income and the daughter had not substantiated her claim of living separately from her husband. The court criticized the respondent authorities' requirement for a succession certificate, stating it was arbitrary and not supported by law. Additionally, the court noted that recent amendments to the compassionate appointment policy, which aim to treat married and unmarried daughters equally, do not apply retroactively to this case. The ruling underscores the need for adherence to governmental policies and legal principles in compassionate appointment matters.