The Supreme Court slammed the shocking ‘period proof’ humiliation of women sanitation workers in Haryana, questioning if women will now be forced to prove menstruation for leave. Notices issued on SCBA’s plea seeking nationwide menstrual dignity guidelines.
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NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court of India on Friday sought responses from the Central Government and the State of Haryana on a public-interest petition filed by the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA), after shocking allegations emerged from Maharshi Dayanand University (MDU), Haryana, where female sanitation workers were allegedly asked to submit photographs of their private parts to prove they were menstruating.
A bench led by Justice BV Nagarathna and Justice R Mahadevan issued notices and listed the next hearing for December 15.
Justice Nagarathna called the reported treatment “reflective of a disturbing mindset”, observing that menstruation is a biological process that should not lead to humiliation at workplaces.
“If someone is saying heavy work cannot be done due to menstruation, someone else could have been assigned. Will women be asked to prove they are menstruating for leave now?”
— Justice Nagarathna
During the hearing, SCBA President and Senior Advocate Vikas Singh described the episode as a gross criminal violation requiring urgent judicial attention, noting similar incidents had occurred in other states.
Background
According to the FIR filed on October 31, the incident occurred on October 26, hours before the scheduled visit of Haryana Governor Ashim Kumar Ghosh. The women said they were forced to continue cleaning duties despite reporting severe menstrual pain.
When they explained they were unwell, two supervisors allegedly demanded photographic proof of menstrual bleeding and threatened them with dismissal if they refused.
“We were told to click photos of our private parts to prove we were on our periods. When we refused, they abused and threatened us,”
one worker said.
Three university staff members were booked under charges, including:
- Sexual harassment
- Criminal intimidation
- The intent to insult the modesty of a woman
- Assault / criminal force against women
Police said sections of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act may also be added. The university later suspended two contractual supervisors and initiated internal proceedings.
SCBA Seeks Nationwide Guidelines
The petition argues that the incident represents a systemic pattern of misogyny and violation of women’s rights, especially among vulnerable workers in the unorganised sector. The Bar Association urged the Court to frame binding national norms affirming:
Demands:
- Protection of privacy, dignity and bodily autonomy
- Guidelines for menstrual health accommodation in workplaces & educational institutions
- Strict prohibition of invasive or humiliating “menstruation checks”
- Safe working conditions that accommodate menstrual pain or gynecological health
The plea cites fundamental rights under Articles 14, 19 and 21 of the Constitution and calls the episode a grave breach of human dignity.
Justice Nagarathna also referenced Karnataka’s consideration of period leave policy, questioning how employers will respect it without discriminatory verification practices.
