GUWAHATI: The Supreme Court reviewed a petition on Tuesday, November 12, seeking directives for the Union, States, and Union Territories to provide free sanitary pads to schoolgirls from Classes 6 to 12 across government and government-aided schools.
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Acknowledging the need for improved menstrual hygiene, the Court sought an action plan from stakeholders for the quick implementation of the newly formulated Menstrual Hygiene Policy for school-going girls.
The petition raised concerns over inconsistencies in data on menstrual product usage among schoolgirls, questioning the Union’s claim that 126% of students are reportedly using sanitary pads, which exceeds 100%.
According to a LiveLaw report, Advocate Varun Thakur represented the petitioner before a bench comprising Justices J.B. Pardiwala and Pankaj Mithal, citing earlier court orders from 2022 and 2023.
The Court noted that while the Union had drafted the policy, an effective strategy for implementation by States and UTs was still needed.
In response to the Court’s inquiry on funding and distribution processes, Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati affirmed that free pads have been distributed for years under existing programs, yet Thakur argued that widespread and consistent distribution has not occurred.
The Court concluded that while progress has been made, further steps are essential for the policy’s effective implementation.
