The Supreme Court on Thursday agreed to hear the plea of a single parent woman judicial officer from Jharkhand who has challenged the denial of her request for six months’ childcare leave, citing her entitlements under the applicable service rules.
A bench comprising Chief Justice of India B R Gavai and Justice Augustine George Masih issued notices to the Jharkhand government and the state High Court registry, seeking their responses by next week.
The petitioner, an Additional District Judge (ADJ) belonging to the Scheduled Caste category, submitted that her application for childcare leave from June to December had been unjustly rejected. Her counsel highlighted that she is a single parent from a socially and economically marginalized background and has maintained an outstanding service record, having disposed of over 4,000 cases in the last two-and-a-half years.
Initially, the bench queried why the judge had not approached the Jharkhand High Court with her grievance. The counsel clarified that due to the ongoing summer vacation, there was concern that the matter would not receive timely attention. Emphasizing the urgency of her situation, he noted, “She is a single parent from the lowest strata of society.”
The plea invokes the Child Care Leave Rules applicable to judicial officers, which allow up to 730 days of leave over the course of service. The officer is currently seeking only a six-month segment of that entitlement.
The Supreme Court has listed the matter for hearing next week.
