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Contract worker denied maternity pay; HC steps in

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In short

Pushpa Jaiswal, a 34-year-old guest lecturer teaching political science at Government Gundadhur PG College in Kondagaon, moved the court after her maternity pay was withheld. The state argued that non-regular staff are ineligible under the Maternity Benefit Act, 1961. However, Justice Bibhu Datta Guru ruled that Jaiswal could not be denied benefits solely for being a guest lecturer since her work matches that of permanent faculty. Officials have been ordered to decide her claim in line with applicable guidelines within three months of the October 27, 2026, order.

Key points

  • The Chhattisgarh High Court ordered authorities to decide the maternity salary claim with…: The Chhattisgarh High Court ordered authorities to decide the maternity salary claim within three months.
  • Guest lecturers who perform the same duties as regular lecturers cannot be denied statuto…: Guest lecturers who perform the same duties as regular lecturers cannot be denied statutory maternity benefits.
  • Supreme Court precedents explicitly extend maternity benefit protections to both contract…: Supreme Court precedents explicitly extend maternity benefit protections to both contractual and daily-wage staff.

Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1

The Chhattisgarh High Court has directed the State authorities to take an appropriate decision on Pushpa Jaiswal's claim for unpaid maternity salary in accordance with the applicable rules and guidelines. The authorities have been asked to act at the earliest, preferably within three months of receiving a copy of the order passed on October 27, 2026.

Guest lecturer joined government college in August 2024

Jaiswal, 34, has been working as a guest lecturer in political science at Government Gundadhur PG College in Kondagaon, Chhattisgarh, since August 16, 2024.According to the petition, she took maternity leave and rejoined her duties on August 19, 2026. However, the monetary benefits she claimed for the period of maternity leave remained unpaid, prompting her to approach the High Court.

She submitted representations to the authorities on May 29, 2026, and August 5, 2026, seeking the release of the benefits. The authorities did not grant her the relief she sought, according to her case before the court.

Jaiswal argued that Section 5 of the Maternity Benefit Act, 1961, entitled her to maternity benefits and that the…

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