60-day special maternity leave to female staff in case of death of a child soon after birth: Centre
New Delhi, Sep 2: All female central government employees will be entitled for 60 days special maternity leave in case of death of a child soon after birth, an order issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) said on Friday.
The decision has been taken keeping in view the potential emotional trauma caused due to stillbirth or death of a child soon after birth, which has a far-reaching impact on the mother's life, it said.
The DoPT said it has been receiving several references/queries requesting for clarification pertaining to grant of leave/maternity leave in case of death of a child soon after birth/stillbirth.
"The matter has been considered in consultation with Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Keeping in view the potential emotional trauma caused due to stillbirth or death of a child soon after birth, which has a far-reaching impact on the mother's life, it has now been decided to grant a special maternity leave of 60 days to a female central government servant in case of death of a child soon after birth/stillbirth ," it said in the order.
In case a maternity leave has already been availed by a female central government servant and her leave continues till the date of expiry of child soon after birth/stillbirth, the maternity leave already availed till death of the child may be converted into any other kind of leave available in her leave account without insisting for a medical certificate and a special maternity leave of 60 days may be granted from the date of expiry of child soon after birth/stillbirth, the DoPT said.
In case the maternity leave has not been availed by a female central government servant, 60 days of special maternity leave may be granted from the date of expiry of child soon after birth/ stillbirth, it said.
The condition for death of a child soon after birth may be defined as up to 28 days after birth, said the order issued to all central government ministries/departments.
A baby born with no signs of life at or after 28 weeks of gestation may be defined as stillbirth, the DoPT said.
The benefit of special maternity leave shall be admissible only to a female central government servant with less than two surviving children and for child delivery only in an authorised hospital, it said.
The authorised hospital is defined as government hospital or private hospital empanelled under the Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS).
In case of emergency delivery in non-empanelled private hospital, production of emergency certificate is mandatory, the DoPT order said.
These orders shall be applicable to government employees appointed to the civil services and posts in connection with the affairs of the Union of India in terms of Rule 2 of the Central Civil Services (Leave) Rules 1972 with effect from the date of issue of this order, it said.
The past cases, wherever settled in respective ministries/departments, need not be reopened, it added.
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SC junks plea for extension of time to file nomination from Varanasi LS seat
New Delhi, May 15: The Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to entertain a Tamil Nadu-based farmer leader's plea for an extension of deadline for filing nomination papers to contest from Varanasi Lok Sabha seat where Prime Minister Narendra Modi is in the fray, decrying the petition as "publicity interest litigation".
The prime minister filed his nomination papers from Varanasi parliamentary constituency on May 14, the last day for filing the papers, as a BJP candidate. The polling will take place on June 1.
"You want to withdraw, we can allow you to withdraw. If you want us to dismiss, we can dismiss it. These are all Publicity Interest Litigation,” a bench comprising justices Vikram Nath and Satish Chandra Sharma said.
Lawyer S Mahendran, appearing for P Ayyakannu, a native of Trichy in Tamil Nadu and President of the National South Indian River Interlinking Agriculturist Association, claimed that Ayyakannu was de-boarded from the Varanasi-bound train on May 10 by the railway security personnel when he was on his way to file nomination from the seat.
He said that even the prime minister filed his nomination papers on the last day and urged the court to ask the poll panel to extend the time for the same.
During the brief hearing, the bench asked as to why Ayyakannu wanted to contest from Varanasi and said the whole purpose of the petition seemed to get publicity.
