Pronouncing the verdict on his last working day, Justice Oka said the issue of sentencing had troubled the court. “Though the victim did not treat the incident as a heinous crime, she suffered because of it. This was because, at an earlier stage, the victim could not make an informed choice due to the shortcomings in our society, our legal system and her family,” the court remarked.The court did not sentence the convict by reasoning that the survivor, who had given birth to a child, was desperate to save her husband and family.It instead asked a committee to help the survivor decide whether she wanted to remain with the accused and his family or avail of the benefits offered by the State Government.Also in top court‘Maternity leave a right, cannot be denied’Maternity leave is integral to maternity benefits and reproductive rights are now recognised as part of international human rights law like right to health, privacy, equality and non-discrimination and dignity, the Supreme Court said on Friday. The court also set aside a Madras High Court order declining maternity leave to a Tamil Nadu government school teacher and said she was entitled to the benefit despite having two children from a previous marriage. The top court bench did not agree with the findings of the high court that had denied her maternity benefits.
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