Supreme Court orders free sanitary pads for Class 6 to 12 girls

New Delhi: The Supreme Court has ordered all schools and educational institutions to provide free sanitary pads to girl studying in classes 6 to 12 as well as plan for their safe and hygienic disposal.

A bench of Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, Justice PS Narasimha and Justice JB Pardi Vala said on this PIL by Jaya Thakur that all the states should tell their plan regarding cleanliness during menstrual periods.

On behalf of the central government, Aishwarya Bhati said that health care is a matter of the state list. But since 2011 there are also central schemes for this. Under this, we have submitted our plans and their complete details to the court through our note.

The Chief Justice's bench has also asked all the governments to give details of the money spent on schemes made for convenience and health hygiene for girl students during menstruation. the state governments should tell what their plans are and whether they are spending the funds of the National Health Scheme of the Centre on them or from their own revenue."More than a decade has passed since this exercise. Now give an account of what, where, how much and how they have spent money for the convenience and health of the girl students during menstruation?" said the chief justice.