New Delhi, August 15, 2025 — The Supreme Court has imposed a ₹1 lakh cost on Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) for filing what it termed a “totally frivolous” petition against the grant of a compassionate appointment.
A bench of Justices Ahsanuddin Amanullah and S.V.N. Bhatti dismissed BSNL’s Special Leave Petition and allowed the company to recover the cost from the officer or officers who recommended filing the case.
The dispute concerned Pavan Thakur, whose father, a BSNL employee, died in 2000. His mother was later given a compassionate appointment but also passed away while in service. Thakur applied for a compassionate appointment in 2010, but the Circle High Power Committee (HPC) rejected his application after awarding him fewer than the required points, particularly in the accommodation category.
In 2018, the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) set aside the HPC’s decision and directed that Thakur be appointed. The Madhya Pradesh High Court upheld this order earlier in 2025. BSNL’s challenge to these rulings was dismissed by the Supreme Court, which criticized the needless prolonging of litigation in a matter meant to provide immediate relief to a bereaved family.
