PIL in service matters not allowed: AP high court

Vijayawada: The AP high court on Thursday dismissed a public interest litigation (PIL) filed for directions seeking to extend 180-day childcare leave, along with five additional leaves, to the women working in the judiciary, on par with the women working in govt departments. The high court held that filing of a PIL in service matters is not maintainable.One Chegudi Ashok Babu moved the high court, contending that the women employees in the district judiciary should be given childcare leave on par with the other department employees. Arguing on his behalf, advocate Salmon Raju told the high court that not extending childcare leave to women employees in the district judiciary on par with others is discriminatory and violative of their rights.The high court standing counsel Vivekananda submitted that the petition is not maintainable as filing of a PIL in service-related matters is barred, and the Supreme Court in multiple judgments clarified the same. He submitted the judgment copies to the bench.Considering the arguments on both sides, the high court bench headed by Chief Justice Lisa Gill and Justice R Raghunandan Rao dismissed the petition, observing that only aggrieved parties should file the petition in service matters, and it has been a settled principle that filing of a PIL is not maintainable in such cases.