New Delhi: Aam Aadmi Party MP Raghav Chadha has called for a law to make paid paternity leave a legal right in India, stressing the need for shared parental responsibility in childcare.
Speaking in the Rajya Sabha, Chadha said fathers should not be forced to choose between their jobs and families. He described paid paternity leave as an essential reform to support both mother and child at the time of birth.
He argued that childcare responsibilities should not fall solely on mothers and highlighted the need for a balanced approach. “When a child is born, both parents are congratulated, but the responsibility of care disproportionately falls on the mother,” he said.
Chadha emphasised that a father’s presence during the early stages after childbirth is crucial not only for emotional support but also for shared caregiving.
Earlier this month, a Supreme Court bench of Justices J.B. Pardiwala and R. Mahadevan also observed that while a mother’s role in a child’s development is vital, the father’s role is equally important and cannot be ignored. The court noted that parenting is a shared responsibility.
Currently, India does not have a specific law mandating paternity leave in the private sector. While maternity leave is governed under the Maternity Benefit Act, 1961, paternity leave remains outside the scope of labour laws.
Chadha pointed out that in several countries, including Sweden, Iceland and Japan, paternity leave is a guaranteed legal right, ranging from 90 days to up to 52 weeks. He added that with nearly 90% of India’s workforce in the private sector, most fathers currently lack access to such benefits.
