In September 2017, pursuant to enactment of Maternity Benefit
(Amendment) Act, 2017, a bill known as the Paternity Benefit Bill,
2018 ("PB Bill") was proposed in the Lok
Sabha mandating that paternity leave of fifteen days (extendable up
to three months) be granted to new fathers. The idea behind the PB
Bill is to recognize that the role of a father as a contributor to
child rearing is of paramount importance, and to give new fathers
the opportunity to bond with their children without compromising on
their need to provide for their family. As a matter of fact, the
International Labour Organization's
("ILO") Maternity and Paternity at Work
Report 2014 1quoted researcher Erin Rehel on
role of the father, "By drawing fathers into the daily
realities of childcare, free of workplace constraints, extended
time off provides the space necessary for fathers to develop the
parenting skills and sense of responsibility that then allows them
to be active co-parents rather than
