New Delhi: Maternity leave is an integral part of a woman’s reproductive rights and her entitlement to motherhood benefits. Therefore, no institution can deprive a woman of this right. The Supreme Court made this observation while hearing a petition filed by a female government teacher from Tamil Nadu.
According to reports, the woman became a mother after her second marriage. However, the authorities denied her maternity leave on the grounds that she already had two children from her previous marriage. As per Tamil Nadu rules, maternity leave is granted only for the first two children.
In her petition, the woman stated that she had not availed maternity leave for her first two children as she had joined government service only after her second marriage. Her lawyer, K.V. Muthukumaran, argued that the Tamil Nadu government’s decision violated the woman’s fundamental rights, as she had not previously availed any benefits under the state’s maternity benefit rules.
After hearing the arguments, the Supreme Court delivered its verdict today, reinforcing that no woman can be denied maternity leave.
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