The Punjab and Haryana High Court has directed the Haryana government to issue a fresh deployment letter within four weeks to a contractual government school teacher whose engagement ended while she was on medical leave due to pregnancy-related complications. The interim order was passed by Justice Harpreet Singh Brar's Bench on a civil writ petition filed by Pooja against the State of Haryana and other respondents.
Court Finds Prima Facie Merit in Teacher's Plea
Justice Brar recorded prima facie satisfaction with the petitioner's contention that she had sought leave due to compelling medical circumstances. The court also noted that while other Trained Graduate Teachers (TGTs) had their contractual engagements extended, the petitioner's engagement alone was discontinued. The court directed the respondents to issue a fresh deployment letter within four weeks, and the petitioner is to join service within two weeks thereafter.
The petitioner, Pooja, was appointed as TGT (Science) at Government Senior Secondary School, Chandpura, through the Haryana Kaushal Rozgar Nigam Limited on March 16, 2024. During her employment, she developed serious pregnancy-related complications and was advised complete bed rest for nine months. She applied for medical leave on October 9, 2025, but instead of considering her request, the authorities discontinued her services on March 16, according to senior advocate Vikas Chatrath, who appeared for the petitioner.
Petitioner Sought Maternity Benefits and Compensation
The petitioner had sought full maternity leave benefits, including paid maternity leave, medical bonus, and consequential monetary benefits with interest at 18 per cent per annum, as well as suitable compensation for mental agony, physical hardship, and harassment allegedly caused by the denial of maternity protection and discontinuance of her engagement. Chatrath submitted that the petitioner delivered a child on April 15, and the ground on which she sought leave was genuine and bona fide. He also argued that the contractual engagements of her similarly situated colleagues had been extended, while her services alone were discontinued.
Chatrath further submitted that the petitioner was willing to forego salary for the period she did not discharge her duties and was now medically fit to rejoin service. It was also contended that regular employees holding the same post were granted maternity leave, and the petitioner's medical condition was substantiated by medical records placed before the court.
Court Orders Fresh Deployment Within Four Weeks
After considering the submissions, Justice Brar observed: "This Court is prima facie satisfied with the submissions advanced by senior counsel for the petitioner that the petitioner had sought medical leave due to compelling medical circumstances and has since delivered a child. It also appears that while the contractual engagements of the other TGT teachers have been extended, the petitioner's services alone were dispensed with despite the fact that she had sought leave on bona fide medical grounds."
Issuing notice of motion, the court directed: "In the meantime, the respondent is directed to issue a fresh deployment letter to the petitioner as TGT (Science) within a period of four weeks from today and the petitioner is further directed to join her service within two weeks, thereafter." The court also directed that the respondents file their reply in the Registry at least a week before the next date of hearing, with an advance copy to the petitioner's counsel.
