Contractual Female Employees are also Entitled to Maternity Benefits : Orissa High Court

The Orissa High Court ruled that solely due to contractual employment, women employees cannot be denied maternity benefits or leave, calling such denial “abhorrent” to womanhood and basic humanity.

The Court, citing international conventions (ICESCR, CEDAW) and fundamental rights under Articles 14 and 21, held that all women employees form a homogeneous class entitled to maternity benefits, regardless of their employment status. 

A writ petition was filed by Anindita Mishra, a contractual “Young Professional,” whose maternity leave application was wrongly rejected.

The court upheld the Single Bench’s order directing authorities to grant maternity leave and emphasised the principle of “zero separation” for mother and baby.