New Delhi, Jun 11 (PTI) The Supreme Court on Wednesday sought the response of the Jharkhand High Court registry on a plea of a woman judicial officer who alleged adverse remarks made in her annual confidential report after she moved the top court over denial of child care leaves.

The top court had on May 29 issued notices to the high court registry and the state government on the main plea of the woman additional district judge (ADJ), belonging to the scheduled caste category, challenging the denial of her childcare leave request for six months.

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On Wednesday, a bench comprising Justices Prashant Kumar Mishra and Manmohan was apprised about the new development through an interim application (IA) alleging adverse entries in her annual confidential report (ACR) after she moved the top court over rejection of her child care leaves request.

The counsel for the judge, who is a single parent, informed the bench that though 194 days were sought as leaves, the high court sanctioned only 92 days.

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It was also alleged that following her plea in the top court, adverse remarks suggesting "performance counselling" were made in the petitioner's ACR of May 9, 2025, and communicated on May 23.

"I belong to the SC (scheduled caste) category, I am one of the best-performing officers with disposal of 4,660 cases… till date my record has been outstanding,” the lawyer said, indicating the ACR entries appeared retaliatory in nature.

The bench said the allegations about the ACR did not fall within the original scope of the petition and should be addressed through an appropriate application.

On being informed that a separate IA was filed, the bench issued the notices and posted the petition in August.

The Jharkhand High Court counsel opposed the plea and said 92 days of leave was sanctioned in accordance with Child Care Leave Rules, which permit a total of 730 days across an officer's entire career and not necessarily at a single stretch.

The high court's lawyer said granting an extended continuous leave to a district and sessions judge could severely affect the administration of justice in the district.

The bench directed that responses to both the main petition and the IA ought to be filed within four weeks.

The woman judicial officer sought six months' leave from June to December.

According to the Child Care Leave Rules applicable to the judicial officers, the ADJ is entitled to up to 730 days of leave during her service tenure. In the present case, she is seeking only six months of that entitlement, the plea said.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)