SC directs States, UTs to submit their responses on menstrual hygiene policies by Aug 31

economictimes.indiatimes.com:

States and Union Territories to submit their response to the Centre by August 31 on forming a uniform national policy on menstrual hygiene for girls studying in schools. Many States and Union Territories have not yet submitted their responses on menstrual hygiene policies to the Centre. The Centre informed the Supreme Court that only four states have submitted their responses.

The SC warned that it will «take recourse to the coercive arm of the law» if they failed to do so by August 31. A bench of justices Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and also comprising justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra issued the direction after Delhi, Haryana, West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh submitted their responses. Aishwarya Bhati, Additional Solicitor General, stated that pursuant to the April 10 order this year, responses have been received by the Union Government only from governments of Delhi, Haryana, West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh.

«We direct all other states and union territories to submit their responses positively by 31 August 2023,» the court said. The States and Union Territories, which are in default, are placed on notice that should there be any further default in submitting their responses, the Court would be constrained to take recourse to the coercive arm of the law, the court said and listed the proceedings on 6 November 2023 for further hearing. The Supreme Court had earlier asked all State Governments to send their menstrual hygiene policies to the Centre within a period of four weeks.