The Madras High Court has firmly stated that women employees are entitled to maternity leave even during their third pregnancy. A Division Bench of Justices R. Suresh Kumar and Shamim Ahmed expressed concern that some officials still deny this right despite past orders. The Court directed the Chief Secretary to send this order to all State government department heads for strict enforcement. The judges revealed that the Registrar (Management) of the High Court had wrongly denied maternity leave to court employee P. Mangaiyarkkarasi, despite knowing of similar court orders favoring such leave during third pregnancies. The Court ordered the Registrar General to share this new ruling with all judicial officers leading district courts in the State. The Bench noted that previous High Court decisions, backed by Supreme Court rulings, clearly established women's right to maternity leave for the third confinement. The Registrar had wrongly claimed these judgments applied only to the litigants involved, a view the Bench firmly rejected, calling it unacceptable. Justice Kumar, writing for the Bench, said these previous rulings are orders in rem, meaning they apply to all cases, not just specific individuals. With repeated orders on the same issue, the Court expects registry and judiciary officials to understand the law and grant maternity leave appropriately. Finally, the Bench cancelled the Registrar (Management)'s refusal of maternity leave to Ms. Mangaiyarkkarasi. The Court ordered her to receive maternity leave with full benefits for the period August 8, 2025, to August 7, 2026.