The Maternity Benefit Act, 1961 was enacted with the purview to follow Article 42 of the constitutional which imposes obligation upon the State to make provision for securing just and humans conditions of work and for maternity relief. This Act regulate the employment of women in certain establishment for certain periods before and after child-birth and to provide for maternity benefit and certain other benefits.
The chief object of maternity leave and benefit is to guard the pride of motherhood by providing for the complete and healthy maintenance of working women and her child. With the dawn of modern age, the number of women employees is growing; the maternity leave and other maternity benefits are becoming increasingly common. Although there was no favorable piece of legislation in this sphere, intended to achieve the object of doing social justice to women workers employed in factories, mines and plantation, the maternity benefit act, 1961 has come as a ray of light meeting the objective of social justice.
