Formulate a Uniform Policy on a plea seeking to provide free Sanitary Pads to girls, Orders SC

NEW-DELHI: The Supreme Court has ordered all schools and educational institutions to provide free sanitary pads or napkins to girl students. All state governments will have to make arrangements for the safety and cleanliness of girl students. On this public interest petition of Jaya Thakur, a bench of Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, Justice PS Narasimha and Justice JB Pardiwala said that all the states should tell their plan regarding the issue of cleanliness during menstruation.

On behalf of the central government, Additional Solicitor General of India (ASG) Aishwarya Bhati said that although healthcare is a state subject but since 2011 there are also central schemes for this. She said, "Under this, we have submitted our plans and their complete details to the court through our note." The Chief Justice's bench also asked all the governments to give the details of the money spent on 'schemes made for the convenience and hygiene of the girl students during menstruation'.

The bench said, "The state governments should tell what their plans are and whether they are spending the funds of the National Health Scheme of the Center on them or from their own resources. This practice has passed for more than a decade. Now calculate what, where, how much and how they have spent money for the convenience and health of girl students during menstruation?"

The Supreme Court has ordered the central government to formulate a uniform policy within four weeks on a petition seeking to provide free sanitary pads to girl students studying in classes 6th to 12th in schools across the country. A bench of Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, Justice PS Narasimha and Justice JB Pardiwala said that the Central Government should also involve the States and Union Territories on this serious issue.