Childcare Leave For Women Is A Constitutional Mandate, Says Supreme Court

Observing the issue as "serious", the Supreme Court on Monday held that denying child-care leaves to a mother who is taking care of a child with disabilities, would violate the constitutional duty of the State to ensure equal participation of women in the workforce.A bench comprising Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and Justice JB Pardiwala also directed setting up of a committee headed by the chief secretary of Himachal Pradesh to take a policy decision on the issue of grant of child-care leaves (CCLs) to the working women having children with disabilities.