Sri Lankan government to inquire into allegations of pregnancy tests on women seeking employment in tea plantations

The Sri Lankan government has said inquiries would be held into the allegations of pregnancy tests being carried out on females who seek employment in the tea plantations in the country.

Plantations Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe has been quoted in BBC's Tamil service, Thamil Osai, saying that although he had not received complaints about the matter he would look into the allegation.

The report quoting several women who have sought employment in the tea plantations states that females are being subjected to a pregnancy test by the plantation companies before hiring them. If they are found to be pregnant, they are not granted employment in the company's plantation.
Central Provincial Councilor Murali Ragunathan had reportedly complained to the Human Rights Commission that when employing married females to the plantations, the officials had said that a pregnancy test would be carried before employing them.