Breastfeeding must: Can a law be enacted?

Justice N Kirubakaran, while granting relief to a woman doctor by including her maternity leave as part of service period, kept the main writ petition pending to consider general issues regards the entitlement of a woman to conceive, avail of maternity leave irrespective of her position and the right of new born to mother’s milk. 

Observing that it is disheartening to note that despite women’s right to conceive a child they are denied the benefits, entitled under law, by the patriarchal society, Justice Kirubakaran raised 15 questions and sought to know as to why should not the state and Centre insert penal provisions to punish the officials who refuse to grant maternity leave to women government servants when they are pregnant. Suo motu impleading Union Ministries of Law, Women and Child Welfare and Commission for Women Development as well as the state departments of Law and Health and Family Welfare, the judge sought a reply by January 22.