In May 2025, the Supreme Court set aside which High Court order that had denied maternity leave to a government school teacher for the birth of their third child?
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: A
Explanation
Landmark Supreme Court Decision (May 2025) -
In May 2025, the Supreme Court of India overturned the Madras High Court's order denying maternity leave to a government school teacher for her third child.
What was the case?: The Madras High Court upheld the Tamil Nadu government's rule that maternity leave should be limited to two surviving children.
Supreme Court's Reasoning: The Supreme Court clarified that the Maternity Benefit Act, 1961, is a social welfare law. The Court stated that denying a woman maternity leave based on the number of children is against her fundamental rights and the dignity of motherhood.
Significance: This decision established that the service rules of the central or state governments cannot override the central law (Maternity Benefit Act), which does not discriminate on the basis of the number of children.