HC Dismisses PIL Against Jobs to Train Tragedy Victim

Chandigarh : The Punjab and Haryana High Court has dismissed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) that challenged the grant of compassionate appointments to 34 persons who were wards or heirs of those killed in the Amritsar train tragedy 2018. The court also imposed a cost of ₹10,000 on the petitioner.
A Bench comprising Chief Justice Sheel Nagu and Justice Sanjiv Berry directed the petitioner to deposit the amount with the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, specifically in the Poor Patients Welfare Fund.
The PIL had sought to quash an order dated July 25, 2021, issued by the Under Secretary (Personnel Policies-II Branch) in the Government of Punjab Department of Personnel. Under that order, compassionate employment had been granted to 34 family members of victims who lost their lives in the tragic rail accident in Amritsar.
During the hearing, the court questioned the maintainability of the petition. The Bench asked the petitioner’s counsel how a matter related to service appointments could be brought before the court through a Public Interest Litigation.
In response, the petitioner’s counsel argued that the issue did not constitute a service dispute and that the petition challenged the decision of the state government to grant compassionate appointments to the private respondents.
However, the Bench observed that the matter had already been settled through several judgments of the Supreme Court of India, which clearly state that service disputes cannot generally be raised through PILs.
Taking note of the settled legal position, the High Court dismissed the petition and imposed costs on the petitioner.
The compassionate appointments had been granted by the Punjab government as part of relief measures for families affected by the 2018 Amritsar train tragedy, one of the most devastating railway accidents in the region. The court’s decision effectively upholds the state government’s action in providing employment support to the victims’ families.