India, Aug. 14 -- LUCKNOW In a significant ruling concerning maternity rights of women government employees, the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad high court has held that there is no statutory bar on a woman employee availing herself of maternity leave for a second pregnancy within two years of her first maternity leave.

The court directed the authorities to grant 180 days of maternity leave to a woman employee of the Kalyan Singh Cancer Institute, Lucknow, holding that the state cannot deny maternity benefits merely by relying upon provisions contained in the Financial Handbook.

Justice Pankaj Bhatia on August 10, while allowing a petition filed by Seema, observed that the provisions of the Maternity Benefit Act, 1961, adopted by the Utt...