Chennai:A Tamil Nadu The government order limiting maternity leave to 12 weeks for the third pregnancy is unfair and against the law laid down by the Supreme Court. Madras High Court The verdict was announced on Wednesday.A division bench of Justices R Suresh Kumar and N Senthilkumar set aside the orders dated March 27, 2026, of the Principal District Judge, Villupuram, which rejected the petitioner’s representation seeking maternity leave from February 2, 2026 to February 1, 2027, and the Motor Accident Claims Tribunal, Villupuram, which allowed her to rejoin on April 27, 2026. Had asked for.The bench said, “Such a restriction is against the orders of the Supreme Court as well as this court. It cannot be approved by this court… In pregnancy, whether first, second or third, the suffering will be the same and the pre- and post-natal care that a mother needs to undergo is the same.”“Therefore, no discrimination can be shown by the government in granting maternity benefits to the employees, especially maternity leave for the third pregnancy,” the high court said.