The Supreme Court on Tuesday urged the Union Government to bring a law recognising paternity leave as a social security benefit. The Court observed that the duration of the leave must be determined to suit the needs of both the parents and the child.
A bench comprising Justice JB Pardiwala and Justice R Mahadevan made this recommendation in a case concerning the constitutionality of the provision restricting maternity leave to adoptive mothers only if the age of the child is below 3 months.
The bench held that Section 60(4) of the Social Security Code, 2020, which allows maternity leave of 12 weeks to an adoptive mother only if the child is below the age of 3 months, is…