The Supreme Court of India has warned the states which are yet to submit their response on forming a uniform national policy on menstrual hygiene for girls of "coercive arm of law", if they failed to do so by August 31.
The bench comprising Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra was being headed by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud.
The apex court had, on April 10, asked the Centre to prepare a Standard Operating Procedure (SOPs) and formulate a national model to be adopted by all states and Union Territories (UTs) for managing the menstrual hygiene of girls studying in schools.
The court had also directed all states and Union Territories to submit their menstrual hygiene management strategies and plans which are being executed, either with the help of funds provided by the Centre or through their own resources to the Mission Steering Group of the National Health Mission within a period of four weeks. The schools have been asked to submit these responses to the Centre.
The warning has come after the centre informed that it has so far received the response of only four states, namely Delhi, Haryana, West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh, PTI reported.
Moreover, the court had asked all states and UTs to also indicate the steps which have been taken to provide low-cost sanitary pads and vending machines in schools and their appropriate disposal, added PTI.
“At the present stage, we are of the considered view that it would be appropriate if the Union government engages with all the state governments and Union Territories to ensure that a uniform national policy is formulated with sufficient leeway for the states and Union Territories to make adjustments, based on the prevailing conditions in their territories," the top court had said
