CHENNAI: Reaffirming its earlier orders granting women employees paid leave for third pregnancy, a division bench of the Madras High Court has directed the chief secretary to strictly adhere to the guidelines issued by the Supreme Court in this regard.
“Similar direction is issued to the chief secretary of TN govt to strictly adhere to the principles laid down in the decisions of the Supreme Court in Umadevi’s case as well as B Ranjitha and G Uamanandhini cases,” the bench comprising justices R Suresh Kumar and Shamim Ahmed said in a recent order.
The bench asked the CS to communicate a copy of the court’s order to the secretaries and heads of all government departments for strict compliance and follow up. The directions were passed while disposing of a petition filed by Madras HC employee Mangaiyarkarasi who prayed for orders to grant her paid leave for one year for her third pregnancy. Her leave application was rejected by the authorities concerned. The bench criticised the registrar general and the registrar (management) of the HC for refusing to grant maternity leave for third pregnancy despite two division bench passing orders to this effect.