Telangana High Court Rules Twins in First Pregnancy Cannot Block Second Maternity Leave

The Telangana High Court in Hyderabad has ruled that a female government employee cannot be denied maternity leave for her second pregnancy merely because her first pregnancy resulted in twins. Justice K. Sarath delivered the judgment, establishing that twins born during a single biological event should not mechanically count as two separate deliveries to deny subsequent maternity benefits.

The court passed the order while allowing a writ petition filed by Jadi Swarupa Rani, a Junior Lecturer in English at the Telangana Social Welfare Residential Educational Institutions Society. Justice Sarath directed the state authorities to sanction her maternity leave from April 14 to October 11, 2026, with full pay and allowances.

Swarupa Rani’s first pregnancy in 2023 resulted in the birth of twins, for which she was granted 180 days of maternity leave. When she sought another spell of leave during her second pregnancy, the authorities rejected her application. The state administration contended that she already had two surviving children, which disqualified her under Rule 101(a) of the Telangana Fundamental Rules and G.O.Ms. No.50, dated May 17, 2014. While her petition was still pending before the court, Swarupa Rani gave birth to her third child.

During the proceedings, the petitioner argued that twins born from a single pregnancy should be treated as one delivery for the purposes of maternity leave. In response, the State opposed the plea, arguing that maternity leave is strictly restricted to women with fewer than two surviving children and that granting the leave would result in audit objections.

Justice Sarath observed that the dispute centered on the interpretation of rules under exceptional circumstances. Relying on Supreme Court rulings, the judge noted that maternity leave is designed to facilitate women’s continued participation in the workforce. He emphasized that childbirth is a natural incident of life and must not be treated as something detrimental to employment.

The High Court further referenced prior legal judgments recognizing that the physiological and psychological consequences of pregnancy remain the same regardless of the order of delivery. Additionally, the court noted that a child's rights cannot be compromised simply because the mother already has two children.

To support the ruling, Justice Sarath cited legal precedents from other states, including a 2018 amendment in Tamil Nadu that allows leave for an additional delivery when twins are born first. He also pointed to Andhra Pradesh’s G.O.Ms. No.21, dated May 5, 2025, which completely removed the restriction.

Ultimately, the court held that denying maternity leave because a first pregnancy resulted in twins would defeat the very purpose of maternity welfare legislation. The authorities were ordered to grant the petitioner her full pay and allowances for the entire specified leave period.