The Delhi High Court on Monday issued a notice to the Centre and others on plea seeking framing of guidelines for providing relaxation in attendance norms for women studying in educational institutions, who are unable to fulfil the requisite attendance criteria owing to pregnancy, childbirth and post-natal care.
The public suit was filed by Kush Karla through his advocate Chinmoy Pradeep Kumar, who has also sought direction from the court to appoint a three-member high-level committee headed preferably by a retired lady Judge of the Supreme Court to make recommendation for securing and safeguarding the rights of women studying in educational institutions who undergo pregnancy, child-birth and postnatal care situations which prevent them from attending classes.
The petitioner Kush Kalra's advocate Chinmoy Pradeep Kumar told a bench of Chief Justice DN Patel and Justice Hari Shankar that there is no existence of rules and regulations for relaxation of attendance norms for female students undergoing pregnancy.
According to the petitioner, if his plea would be allowed then "it will benefit many female students in getting higher education as pregnancy forced them to choose between reproductive choices and education is the violation of her fundamental right. Kalra also told the court that due to shortage of attendance, women are unable to complete their further education which caused them grave hardship".
"To become a mother is the most natural phenomenon in the life of a woman. It must be realized the motherhood is not only the cherished gift for a woman but it is also onerous to her. While it takes two partners for the choice of motherhood, but the weight of the motherhood false disproportionately on a woman solely because of her sex. In such a situation, keeping the unique position of a female student in mind, maternity must be accommodated in an academic semester/year," the plea read.
( With inputs from ANI )