&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "'Caregiving falls disproportionately on mother': Raghav Chadha pushes for paternity leave in parliament")
In the parliament session, AAP MP Raghav Chadha on Tuesday (Mar 31) formally proposed that paternity leave be made a legal right in India. Addressing the Rajya Sabha, Chadha argued that childcare is a shared responsibility and that current norms disproportionately burden women. He stated that a legal mandate for fathers to take leave would support maternal recovery and allow men to participate in early-stage parenting without fear of job loss. Speaking during the ongoing Parliament session, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader argued that the current legal framework places pressure of caregiving on mothers.
“When a child is born, both parents are congratulated, but the responsibility of caregiving falls disproportionately on the mother,” Chadha stated, calling for a balanced legislative approach to childcare. He highlighted the "impossible choice" many fathers face between career security and supporting their families during a newborn's first weeks.
The MP emphasised that a father’s presence is vital for a mother's physical and emotional recovery post-childbirth. The proposal follows Chadha’s established track record of championing consumer-centric issues in the House, including hidden airline luggage fees and the regulation of packaged health juices.
Raghav Chadha’s push for a paternity law arrives as the Supreme Court of India increasingly signals a shift toward "shared parenting." Earlier this month, a bench of Justice J.B. Pardiwala and Justice R. Mahadevan observed that a father’s role is "equally important and cannot be ignored," asserting that parenting is a collective responsibility.
Paternity laws in India:
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India currently lacks a universal law for paternity leave in the private sector. While the Maternity Benefit Act protects women, men in private firms rely on individual company policy. Conversely, the Central Civil Services (Leave) Rules, 1972 provide 15 days of paid leave for government employees. Recently, the Supreme Court of India (Justices Pardiwala and Mahadevan) advocated for shared parenting, echoing past legislative attempts like the 2017 Paternity Benefit Bill which sought to extend these rights to all Indian workers.
