Supreme Court Urges Centre to Frame Model Policy on Menstrual Leave

The Supreme Court urged the Centre to develop a model policy on menstrual leave for women employees, emphasizing the issue falls under government policy rather than judicial purview. The court expressed concerns that mandating such leave might harm women's employment prospects and suggested a consultation process involving states and stakeholders.

The Supreme Court has directed the Centre to formulate a model policy on menstrual leave for women employees through consultations with states and other stakeholders. A bench led by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud emphasized that the issue pertains to policy-making and not judicial intervention. The court expressed concerns that mandating menstrual leave could be counterproductive, potentially leading employers to avoid hiring women, thus undermining the cause of women's workforce participation. The court informed that policy-making is the government's domain and not suitable for judicial intervention. The petitioner, represented by lawyers Rakesh Khanna and Shailendra Tripathi, had approached the court after submitting a representation to the Centre in May 2023 without any decision to date. The court invited the Ministry of Women and Child Development's secretary to consult with stakeholders to explore the possibility of framing a model policy, noting that state-level actions would not be hindered by the Centre's consultations.

(With inputs from agencies.)