Childcare leave, along with maternity, a constitutional right for women employees that can't be denied: SC

In a landmark ruling, the Supreme Court declared that two-year childcare leave, alongside mandatory maternity leave, is a constitutional right for women employees. The bench, led by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud, emphasized that denying such leave forces women to resign. The decision came following Shalini Dharmani's plea, a Himachal Pradesh assistant professor, whose child requires constant care. The court directed the state to establish a committee for policy review.