In a Public Interest Litigation submitting pleas before the court to direct certain responsible authorities in the state’s public health infrastructure to take immediate efforts to process maternity benefits. The petition showed that there was discrimination between regularised and non-regularised employees with respect to extension of maternity benefits. The Madras High Court observed that there shall be no discrimination between regularised and non-regularised employees while extending maternity benefits. The petition had contended that these actions were against Article 14 of the Indian Constitution which guarantees equality, and pointed out that the Maternity Benefit Act, 1961 does not prescribe any differential treatment between the said classes of employees.
