Supreme Court Upholds Maternity Leave as Fundamental Right in India

India's Supreme Court ruled maternity leave is an inalienable right for all working women, revoking a Madras High Court decision that rejected a woman's leave request due to having more than two children. This judgment affirms women's constitutional rights and calls for updated, gender-sensitive workplace policies.

In a landmark decision, India's Supreme Court confirmed that maternity leave is a fundamental right for working women, overturning a previous ruling by the Madras High Court. The case involved a Tamil Nadu schoolteacher, denied leave due to a state rule limiting benefits to mothers of two children. This judgment underlines the constitutional guarantee of dignity and equality for women under Article 21.

Chairman of the Indian Council of Industrial Management, Satendra Singh, praised the decision as validating women's constitutional and human rights. He stressed the significance of recognizing maternity leave not as a privilege but as an integral part of women's health and dignity. ICIM plans to ensure awareness and compliance with this ruling across industries.

The ruling mandates that individual circumstances be considered in maternity leave cases, rejecting arbitrary rules. It urges both public and private organizations to revise HR policies to reflect this decision. The ICIM is committed to advocating for gender-sensitive labor practices through its compliance programs endorsed by the Ministry of Women and Child Development.

(With inputs from agencies.)