Last Updated:March 10, 2026, 09:44 IST The court quashed the Rs 23.58 lakh penalty and directed that, if already paid, it must be refunded to the petitioner within four months of the order. Bombay High Court (File photo) The Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court, while hearing a dentist’s plea against a penalty for allegedly not completing her bond period as an Assistant Professor under the Social Responsibility Service Scheme, held that maternity leave is a fundamental right and cannot be considered a break in service. The bench noted that a woman cannot be penalised for exercising her right to motherhood under Article 21 of the Constitution. A division bench of Justices Anil Kilor and Raj Wakode passed the ruling while allowing a writ petition filed by a 28-year-old dental professional from Coimbatore, quashing a Rs 23.6 lakh penalty imposed for allegedly not completing a compulsory bond period. The court ruled that service bond obligations cannot be used to penalise women for exercising their maternity rights. “No bond can override the right to maternity …