GARIMA MATHUR Vs. STATE OF M.P.

JUDGEMENT

(1.) By way of this petition, the petitioner has challenged the order Annexure P-1, whereby the respondent No.2 has denied the benefit of maternity leave to the petitioner on the ground that as per policy of the University the contractual teachers are not entitled for paid maternity leave.

(2.) By way of amendment, Clause 3.10 of the Circular of the State Government dtd. 27/1/2022 has been put to challenge, whereby the State Government has barred grant of paid maternity leaves to guest faculties and only granted unpaid maternity leaves to guest faculty.

(3.) The petitioner was appointed not as Guest Faculty, but as Contractual Assistant Professor in Computer Science Engineering Department in the respondent University vide order dtd. 23/6/2021 and she got maternity leave from 11/7/2022 to 11/1/2023. The said maternity leave was though granted, but the petitioner was informed that she is not entitled to get paid maternity leave. The petitioner availed the unpaid leave and is now seeking payment of salary for the period of maternity leave, which was granted to the petitioner as unpaid leave.