NEW DELHI : The Supreme Court issued notice to the Centre on a PIL challenging a provision of the Maternity Benefit Act which says that adoptive mothers will be eligible for maternity leave only if they adopt children who are less than 3-months-old. A Bench of Justice S Abdul Nazeer and Justice Krishna Murari sought response from the Central government on the plea which said that the provision is “discriminatory and arbitrary” towards adoptive mothers. The petitioner, Hamsaanandini Nanduri, challenged the validity of Section 5(4) of the Maternity Benefit Act, 1961.