New Delhi, Sept. 2 -- A woman employee returning from maternity leave is entitled to be reinstated in the same position she held before proceeding on leave, the Delhi High Court has held, saying that motherhood cannot be allowed to become a source of ignominy at the work place. "Under no circumstance, can maternity be allowed to become a source of ignominy at the workplace," a bench of justice Sachin Datta in his August 31 verdict, released on Tuesday said, adding that if a woman's pre-maternity position is no longer available, she must be offered an equivalent role in terms of pay, grade, status, responsibilities, authority and career prospects. The ruling arose from a petition by a woman appointed as a Chartered Accountant with a private company in 2022. After informing the management of her pregnancy in May 2023, her responsibilities were altered and she was transferred to another team in September. Upon returning from maternity leave, she was told no position was available in her original team and was assigned to the Treasury Department. She claimed the new role was unrelated to her managerial accounting position. The bench also said that the employer must, before her return to work, inform her of the reasons for the post's non-availability and provide details of the proposed alternative position, including its grade, remuneration, reporting structure and duties. "A woman returning from maternity leave is ordinarily entitled to be restored to the post held by her immediately prior to proceeding on such leave. Where, for bona fide and demonstrable organisational reasons, the post is no longer available, she is entitled to be placed in a position as nearly equivalent to it as possible," the court said. htc...