Menstrual hygiene a fundamental right: Supreme Court warns states of contempt

New Delhi: The Supreme Court has sought details from the central government on the implementation of its directions recognising menstrual hygiene as a fundamental right under Article 21 of the Constitution, warning that chief secretaries of defaulting states could face contempt proceedings if they failed to respond.

A division bench of justices JB Pardiwala and R Mahadevan on Thursday expressed concern that the judgement could remain merely on paper without effective implementation on the ground, particularly in remote areas where adolescent girls continue to face barriers to education because of inadequate menstrual hygiene facilities. "We have declared menstrual hygiene as a fundamental right. In other words, we have declared menstrual hygiene as one of the facets of Article 21 of the Constitution," the bench observed.

The bench directed the central government to take up the matter seriously with every state and Union Territory and obtain written information detailing the steps taken to comply with the court's directions.