Supreme Court Upholds Maternity Rights in Landmark Ruling

The Supreme Court of India has affirmed maternity leave as a fundamental reproductive right, overturning a Madras High Court decision that denied leave to a Tamil Nadu school teacher with two children from a previous marriage. The ruling emphasizes reproductive rights within international human rights law and the Constitution's Article 21.

The Supreme Court of India has issued a pivotal ruling, emphasizing maternity leave as a key aspect of reproductive rights, which are enshrined in international human rights law. This follows a challenge to a Madras High Court decision that denied maternity leave to a Tamil Nadu teacher.

The teacher, who has two children from a past marriage, was initially refused leave under administrative rules limiting benefits to women with fewer than two surviving children. However, the Supreme Court found these rules incompatible with the broader spectrum of rights protected under the Constitution.

The ruling underscores the intersection of population control policies and women's rights, asserting that both goals are reconcilable. The teacher is to receive her maternity benefits within two months, reinforcing the legal recognition of maternity rights.

(With inputs from agencies.)