27/05/2025
Landmark judgement ❤️
Motherhood isn’t a privilege—it's a constitutional right.
Today, every working mother, regardless of how many children she has, can stand tall knowing the law has her back.
In a landmark ruling, the Supreme Court of India has declared that maternity leave is a constitutional guarantee, not just a policy-based privilege.
This comes after a Tamil Nadu government school teacher was denied leave because of a state policy that restricts maternity leave beyond two children.
The apex court overturned the Madras High Court’s earlier decision, stating that such policies cannot override a woman’s fundamental rights.
"The right of every woman to make reproductive choices without undue interference from the State is central to the idea of human dignity," the bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan emphasised.
They affirmed that maternity leave is essential not only for physical recovery and childcare but also for protecting the honour, health, and dignity of working women.
Motherhood and work must go hand in hand, and will no longer be pitted against each other!
[Maternity leave in India, Supreme Court, working mothers' rights, women's employment law, Madras High Court, maternity leaves in India]
