Reproductive Autonomy And Maternity Benefit: Constitutional Reflections On K. Umadevi V. Government Of Tamil Nadu (2025)
- IJLLR Journal
- Dec 26, 2025
- 1 min read
M. Rajendra Rushi, BA LLB, Legal Practitioner
Krishna G. Hallur, BBA LLB, Ramaiah College of Law
ABSTRACT
Reaffirming the constitutional foundations of maternity benefits, the 2025 Supreme Court judgment marked a decisive shift from viewing such entitlements as purely statutory to recognizing them as expressions of fundamental rights. Grounded in Articles 14, 15, 16, 21 and 42 of the Constitution, the decision emphasized that maternity leave is integral to the principles of equality, dignity and reproductive autonomy. Through a purposive and gender-sensitive interpretation of service rules, the Court articulated the State’s and employers’ obligation to ensure that workplace policies reflect constitutional morality and substantive equality. By extending its reasoning to the vulnerabilities of women in informal and unorganised sectors, the judgment exposed enduring systemic gaps in the protection of reproductive and labour rights. It thus moved beyond a narrow legalistic reading to advocate for an inclusive rights-based understanding of social welfare. In doing so, the decision advanced the constitutional vision of gender justice and reaffirmed the State’s duty to create equitable conditions that uphold women’s dignity and participation in the workforce.
