The Supreme Court has asked the Jharkhand High Court to provide a response within one week regarding the rejection of a child care leave application filed by Additional District Judge (ADJ) Kashika M. Prasad.
Judge Prasad, recently transferred from Hazaribagh, escalated the matter directly to the apex court after her request was denied without explanation, her counsel claimed.
A bench comprising Chief Justice B.R. Gavai and Justice A.G. Masih issued the directive. During the proceedings, the bench initially questioned why Judge Prasad had not first approached the Jharkhand High Court.
Her legal representative clarified that the High Court's ongoing recess meant the issue might not receive urgent attention there, necessitating a direct appeal to the Supreme Court.
Judge Prasad, identified as a single parent from the Scheduled Caste community, had sought six months of child care leave, from June to December.
This request fell within the High Court's policy, which permits a maximum of 730 days of such leave. Despite her eligibility, the application was turned down without any stated reason.
Her counsel highlighted Judge Prasad's exemplary professional record, noting she had disposed of 4,660 cases in just two and a half years.
They underscored her challenging personal circumstances as a single parent from a marginalised background and emphasised her unblemished service record, as reflected in her Annual Confidential Reports.
The lawyer stressed that her recent transfer, combined with her responsibilities as a single parent, made managing childcare exceptionally difficult, thus making the leave essential.
The Supreme Court ordered immediate service of the notice to the Jharkhand High Court, including an email notification, and said the case would be decided conclusively at the next hearing.
The case is scheduled for its next hearing next week.
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