Bhubaneswar, Jan. 31 -- In a landmark ruling on Friday, the Supreme Court held that the right to menstrual hygiene is an integral part of the right to life and the right to privacy guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution. The judgment reinforces that access to safe and dignified menstrual hygiene is a constitutional entitlement, not a matter of charity or policy discretion.

The verdict was delivered by a bench of Justices JB Pardiwala and R Mahadevan while deciding a plea seeking free sanitary pads and adequate sanitation facilities for schoolgirls. The court issued a set of binding directions to states, Union Territories and educational institutions, stressing that dignity, health and equality of girls and women must be ensured ...