WRIT - A No. 3258 of 2026 at Lucknow

HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT ALLAHABAD LUCKNOW WRIT - A No. - 3258 of 2026 Smt. Keerti Awasthi .....Petitioner(s) Versus State Of U.P. Thru. Secy. Basic Education Lko. And 5 Others .....Respondent(s) Counsel for Petitioner(s) : Ramesh Gupta Counsel for Respondent(s) : C.S.C., Uday Veer Singh Court No. - 18 HON'BLE KARUNESH SINGH PAWAR, J. 1. Heard Mr. Upendra Kumar Sagar, learned counsel for petitioner and learned State Counsel for respondents. 2. The instant petition has been filed challenging the order dated 28.2.2026, whereby, the petitioner's application for grant of second maternity leave for a period of 180 days has been rejected. Further prayer for issuing a direction to the respondents to grant maternity leave to the petitioner from 2.2.2026 till 31.7.2026 with full salary and other emoluments has also been sought. 3. Contention of the learned counsel for petitioner is that the impugned order has been passed rejecting the petitioner's application on the ground that the second maternity leave cannot be granted, until and unless, there is a time lapse of at least two years after the first maternity leave. 4. It is further contended that the aforesaid issue is no longer res int