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Himachal HC stays termination of pregnant scientist
The court was hearing a writ petition filed by Dr Aaina Sharma on October 9. The order was released on Monday.
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The Himachal Pradesh high court on Monday has stayed the termination of a pregnant scientist who was dismissed from service three days after applying for maternity benefits.
Granting interim relief, the bench of justice Jyotsna Rewal Dua stayed the termination order and directed immediate reinstatement and continuation in service. The court was hearing a writ petition filed by Dr Aaina Sharma on October 9. The order was released on Monday.
The court has issued notices to the Centre through secretary, ministry of health and family welfare, department of health research, new delhi, indian council of medical research, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Bilaspur, and principal investigator, regional level ‘Viral Research and Diagnostic Laboratory (VRDL), department of microbiology, AlIMS Bilaspur, directing them to file a reply within four weeks. The next hearing is scheduled for November 18.
The petitioner claimed that she was appointed as Scientist-B (Medical) under the VRDL scheme, funded by the Union department of health research, pursuant to an advertisement issued on March 14, 2024. Initially, the appointment was for one year, but it was subsequently extended until March 31, 2027.
The petitioner applied for maternity benefits with the department on August 4, 2026. Three days later, on August 7, 2026, the department issued an order terminating her services.
The department cited the implementation of a new staffing pattern for the revised VRDL scheme—applicable during the 16th Finance Commission period (2026-27 to 2030-31)—as the reason for the termination.
The petitioner argued before the court that her contract had already been extended until March 31, 2027, and the scheme itself was not discontinued. Instead, the government was merely proposing to rename the scheme and recruit staff on a fresh contract. She argued that terminating her services immediately after she sought maternity leave was illegal and discriminatory.
The high court stayed the August 7, 2026, termination order and directed that the petitioner be permitted to continue working as Scientist-B under the terms of her original appointment letter dated July 24, 2024.
