Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, Feb 20: The state high court has imposed a fine of Rs 25,000 on the directorate of municipal administration after finding that a woman official working on contract basis was dismissed from service instead of giving her maternity leave.

B S Rajeshwari from the city, who was functioning as project information officer on contract basis, had approached the high court, seeking to cancel an order of the directorate of municipal administration that had dismissed her from service for proceeding on maternity leave. Justice M Nagaprasanna, who upheld her petition, passed the said order.

The high court said that article 42 of the Indian Constitution has given the right to maternity leave to lady employees. The judge observed that in this case, without giving the facility of maternity leave, the officer was dismissed from service, thus violating the constitutionally vested right and human rights which is illegal.

The court ordered to cancel the dismissal order of the employee and to take her back into service within two weeks of getting a copy of the judgement. She has to be paid 50 percent of the wages from the date of dismissal till she is absorbed for employment. Fine of Rs 25,000 to be paid to her should be recovered from the officer who issued the dismissal order, the court said.