— In a significant ruling, the Jammu & Kashmir High Court has clarified that appointments made under SRO 43 are not restricted to lower-tier posts, provided the candidate meets the required qualifications.
The court emphasized that Rule 3(2) of the Jammu & Kashmir Compassionate Appointment Rules, 1994 (SRO 43), empowers the government to appoint eligible dependents of deceased government employees or civilians killed in militancy-related incidents to higher non-gazetted posts. The judgment reinforces that merit and qualifications—not post level—should guide such appointments.
This decision resolves longstanding ambiguity surrounding the scope of SRO 43 and is expected to benefit qualified applicants seeking compassionate appointments across various departments.
