- Raghav Chadha urged Parliament to make paternity leave a legal right in India
- He emphasised caregiving after childbirth should be shared by both parents
- Currently, only government employees get 15 days paid paternity leave under rules
Raghav Chadha has once again drawn attention during the ongoing Parliament session by raising a key social issue demanding that paternity leave be made a legal right in India.
Speaking in the House, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Rajya Sabha MP argued that caregiving responsibilities after childbirth should not fall solely on mothers. "When a child is born, both parents are congratulated, but the responsibility of caregiving falls disproportionately on the mother," Chadha said, emphasising the need for a more balanced approach.
He highlighted that fathers are often forced to choose between their jobs and supporting their families during one of the most critical phases of life. "A father should not have to choose between caring for his newborn and keeping his job. Similarly, a mother should not have to go through childbirth and recovery without her partner's support," he added.
Chadha stressed that the presence of a husband is crucial for a woman immediately after childbirth, not only for emotional support but also for shared caregiving. "Caregiving is a shared responsibility. Our laws must reflect that," he asserted. Chadha in the past has been vocal on several issues which are related to a large number of people. He raised consumer and public interest issues such as online delivery timelines, airline charges on luggage, and packaged juices for health.
His remarks come at a time when the judiciary has also echoed similar sentiments. Earlier this month, a bench of the Supreme Court of India comprising Justice J.B. Pardiwala and Justice R. Mahadevan, while hearing one matter, observed that while a mother's role in a child's development is undeniable, the father's role is equally important and cannot be ignored. The court noted that parenting is a shared responsibility and that fathers should have the opportunity to actively participate in a child's early development.
At present, India does not have a specific law mandating paternity leave in the private sector. While maternity leave is governed under the Maternity Benefit Act, 1961, paternity leave remains outside the purview of labour legislation.
For government employees, paternity leave is recognised under the Central Civil Services (Leave) Rules, 1972. As per these rules, male government employees are entitled to 15 days of fully paid leave, which must be availed within six months of the child's birth and is limited to up to two surviving children.
The issue has been raised before in Parliament. In 2017, a private member's bill introduced by late Congress MP Rajeev Satav, the Paternity Benefit Bill, sought to create a uniform framework for paternity leave across sectors. The bill proposed 15 days of leave, extendable up to three months, including provision for pre-birth leave. However, it did not become law.
Currently, in the absence of legislation, paternity leave in the private sector depends largely on company policies, often framed as a matter of discretion rather than a legal right.
Globally, several countries have taken significant steps toward ensuring paternal benefits. Nations such as Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Iceland, and Portugal have robust parental leave policies. Sweden, for instance, introduced paid parental leave as early as 1974, offering up to 480 days of leave shared between parents, with mandatory quotas for each. Finland provides 164 days of leave per parent, while Norway reserves dedicated weeks exclusively for fathers.
Chadha's intervention has reignited the debate on whether India should move toward a more inclusive and equitable parental leave framework, aligning with global standards and evolving societal norms.
