In a significant judgment, the Calcutta High Court has directed a central government undertaking to extend all terminal benefits and employment opportunities to a daughter-in-law following the death of her mother-in-law. Justice Amrita Sinha on Tuesday ordered Eastern Coalfields Limited (ECL) to either provide a job or release all accumulated arrears since 2011 along with monthly monetary compensation (MMCC) to the petitioner, Sunita Nahak, within the next 12 weeks as per the National Coal Wage Agreement (NCWA).

The case pertains to Rekhi Nahak, an ECL employee from Paschim Bardhaman, who passed away while in service in April 2011. Tragically, her son died just six months later, before he could secure the compassionate appointment. When the daughter-in-law applied for the benefits, ECL rejected her plea, arguing she was not a direct dependent. However, Sunita’s lawyer, Pralay Bhattacharya, argued that his client had fallen into an extreme financial crisis after the loss of both her mother-in-law and husband. Noting that the deceased employee’s three daughters had no objection to the claim, the court ruled that the daughter-in-law’s right to survival and financial support must be upheld.