Maternity Benefit Act, 1961

Astamija Dash, a Management Trainee at Punjab National Bank, was terminated after failing to pass the bank's confirmation test despite being given three attempts and citing pregnancy‑related health issues. She claimed discrimination because another trainee, Indubala, was allowed a fourth attempt. The High Court held in…

The Supreme Court examined the constitutionality of Air India Employees Service Regulations 46 and 47, which mandated retirement of air hostesses (AHs) at age 35, on marriage within four years of service, or on first pregnancy, and allowed the Managing Director to extend service up to age 45. The Court held that the pr…

The appellants, manufacturers of pharmaceutical products, dismissed several medical representatives and the employees sought relief from the appellate authority under the Andhra Pradesh Shops and Establishments Act, 1988. The employers contended that the Sales Promotion Employees (Conditions of Service) Act, 1976, bein…

K. Umadevi, a permanent teacher in the Tamil Nadu government, had two children from a first marriage before joining service and later remarried, becoming pregnant with her first child of the second marriage. She applied for maternity leave under Fundamental Rule 101(a), which limits leave to women with fewer than two s…

The Supreme Court heard a writ petition filed by the National Campaign Committee for Central Legislation on Construction Labour (NCC‑CL) seeking effective implementation of the Building and Other Construction Workers (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act, 1996 (BOCW Act) and the Building and Other Co…

The Supreme Court examined the meaning of "unprotected worker" under Section 2(11) of the Maharashtra Mathadi, Hamal and other Manual Workers (Regulation of Employment and Welfare) Act, 1969. The petitioners argued that the term should be limited to casual workers not covered by other labour statutes, relying on earlie…

The petition, filed by a social welfare organisation, alleged that thousands of migrant workers in stone quarries and crushers in Faridabad were subjected to inhuman conditions, forced labour and bondage, violating their fundamental rights under Articles 21 and 23 of the Constitution. The Court treated the letter addre…

Deepika Singh, a nursing officer at PGIMER, married a man who had two children from a previous marriage. She applied for maternity leave for her first biological child under Rule 43 of the Central Civil Services (Leave) Rules, 1972, but the authorities denied it, arguing that she already had two surviving children for …

The Supreme Court entertained a writ petition under Article 32 after a letter complained of bonded labour in stone quarries of Faridabad, Haryana. It appointed commissioners and investigators to examine the working conditions and the implementation of the Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act, 1976 and related statutes.…

Female workers employed on a daily‑wage muster roll by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi were denied maternity benefits that regular female employees received. The Industrial Tribunal held that these workers were entitled to the benefits under the Maternity Benefit Act, 1961 and directed the corporation to extend them…

Hussan Mithu Mhasvadkar, employed as an Inspector in the Bombay Iron & Steel Labour Board, was placed on probation and terminated after 21 months. He claimed that he was a "workman" under the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947 and that the Board constituted an "industry", making him entitled to the Act's protections. The La…