Madras High Court Asks State To Respond To Plea To Give Sanitary Napkins At Subsidised Rates Through Public Distribution System

The Madras High Court has asked the State to respond to a plea seeking the distribution of sanitary napkins at subsidised rates through the public distribution system in the State of Tamil Nadu. The bench of Chief Justice Manindra Mohan Shrivastava and Justice G Arul Murugan directed the Secretary to the Ministry of Social Welfare and Women Empowerment, the Secretary to the Ministry of Civil Supplies and Consumer Protection, and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare Department to respond to the plea by December 16. The plea, filed by a lawyer, emphasised the importance of menstrual health and the need to achieve menstrual hygiene and reproductive health. The plea states that menstrual hygiene needs of adolescent girls and women include self-preservation, for which supporting facilities should be provided, such as accessibility to affordable and effective menstrual materials and facilitative services, including water, sanitation, etc. The petitioner states that the major limitation that affects the ability to achieve complete menstrual health is the socioeconomic conditions prevailing in the country due to cultural misconceptions, lack of awareness, and financial instability in families. The plea highlights “period poverty” and states that due to the cost of sanitary napkins and tampons, it becomes difficult for women affected by poverty and in rural areas with a lack of accessibility, deterring the population from opting for the usage of alternative materials. Relying on an RTI reply obtained from the Department of Social Welfare and Women Empowerment, the petitioner stated that sanitary napkin is an essential commodity. However, as per an RTI reply from the Department of Civil Supplies, no scheme exists for the availability of sanitary napkins under the Department. The plea thus suggests making sanitary napkins available through the ration shops as a monthly 1 unit consisting of a minimum of 25 disposable sanitary pads through the public distribution system. Case Title: Lakshmi Raja v. Ministry of Social Welfare and Women Empowerment and Others Case No: WP 16419 of 2025

Madras High Court Asks State To Respond To Plea To Give Sanitary Napkins At Subsidised Rates Through Public Distribution System

Upasana Sajeev

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