In a landmark ruling on Tuesday, the Supreme Court of India declared that married daughters cannot be excluded from the definition of 'family' when it comes to seeking compassionate employment or allotment of ration shops after a parent's death. A bench comprising Justices P S Narasimha and Alok Aradhe criticized a provision in a Uttar Pradesh government order that excluded married daughters from the definition of dependents, stating it violated the constitutional doctrine of equality. Justice Aradhe noted that marital status does not correlate with dependency and highlighted that many married daughters continue to support or depend on their parental families. The court emphasized that the exclusion of married daughters from the definition of 'family' is based on outdated gender stereotypes, asserting that such assumptions are constitutionally impermissible. The ruling allows married daughters to claim their rights, aligning with modern social dynamics and challenging historical notions of gender inequality.