Supreme Court to Set Nationwide Guidelines Against Period Checks at Workplaces

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The Supreme Court of India has taken a bold step towards protecting the dignity and privacy of women and girls by examining nationwide guidelines to prevent period checks at workplaces and educational institutions. The court's decision comes in response to a petition filed by the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) following a shocking incident in Haryana, where three sanitation workers were asked to provide evidence of their menstruation in the form of photographs. A bench of justices BV Nagarathna and R Mahadevan expressed their concern over the incident, stating that it highlights the 'mindset of these people.' They appreciated the SCBA for raising the issue and acknowledged that the incident could have been avoided if the supervisors had been more sensitive. The court has issued a notice to the Centre and the Haryana government, and the matter is scheduled to be heard on December 15. The SCBA's petition cited another instance in a Thane school in Maharashtra, where girl students were subjected to invasive checks to confirm their menstruation. The petition highlighted that these incidents are a gross violation of women's and girls' right to life, dignity, privacy, and bodily integrity under Article 21 of the Constitution. Senior advocate Vikas Singh, who appeared on behalf of the SCBA, stated that he could provide a list of suggested guidelines to prevent such incidents in the future. The court also appreciated the efforts of some states, such as Karnataka, which has proposed giving one day of leave every month to women workers as 'period leave.' The Haryana government has taken action against the supervisors involved in the incident, including initiating an inquiry and terminating their services. The three workers who were subjected to the period checks have also submitted a written complaint against the supervisors, alleging verbal abuse and humiliation.