DELHI STATE LEGAL SERVICES AUTHORITY Vs. ANNWESHA DEB

JUDGEMENT

(1.) This appeal has been preferred by the Delhi State Legal Services Authority (hereafter referred to as, Authority)/appellant against the impugned judgment dated July 26, 2023 passed by the learned Single Judge in W.P.(C.) 11016/2017, with the following prayers:

(2.) The facts as noted from the record are, it was the case of respondent that she was appointed in the Juvenile Justice Board-I, Sewa Kutir, Kingsway Camp, New Delhi as a Legal Services Advocate ('LSA', for short) for a pay of 1750/-per day, vide letter dated May 09, 2016. During the period, of her appointment, in April, 2017, she conceived a child and hence applied for maternity leave of seven months vide application dated October 06, 2017. A letter was also served upon the Member Secretary of the Authority by the respondent regarding her claim for grant of maternity benefits. Subsequently, an email was also sent to the Authority on October 21, 2017. The respondent received an email dated October 31, 2017 from the Authority, rejecting her request for maternity benefits, as there is no provision for the grant of same to LSA's. The respondent feeling aggrieved by the decision of the Authority approached the Ld. Single Judge vide W.P(C) 11016/2017 in Annwesha Deb v. Delhi State Legal Services Authority.

(3.) It was the respondent's case that:-