Shimla , Nov. 19 -- In two significant rulings, the Himachal Pradesh High Court has affirmed that the birth of a third child cannot, by itself, be a ground to deny maternity leave. Both decisions underscore that maternity benefits must be interpreted through the prism of constitutional dignity, social justice, and the lived realities of women.
In the first case, (Anuradha vs State of Himachal Pradesh), Justice Jyotsna Rewal Dua directed the state government to grant 12 weeks of maternity leave to a 43-year-old TGT teacher for the birth of her third child. The court held that women's dignity -protected under Articles 15, 21, 42, and 51 of the Constitution - must guide the interpretation of maternity-related service rules.
The petitioner so...