Delhi High Court orders survey of menstrual hygiene at police stations

The Delhi High Court, in a division bench headed by Chief Justice D K Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia, directed the Delhi Police to conduct a comprehensive survey of every police station in the national capital. The survey must determine the availability of functional sanitary‑pad vending machines and exclusive washroom facilities for women police personnel, and be completed within six weeks.

The order stems from a public‑interest litigation filed by the NGO Justice for Rights Foundation, which cited RTI data showing a near‑total lack of menstrual‑hygiene infrastructure, waste‑incinerators, and dedicated budgets across hundreds of stations. The court sought a status report from the Union of India, the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Delhi Police and the Delhi government, and scheduled the next hearing for 23 September. The petition argues that the absence of such facilities violates the constitutional rights to dignity, health, privacy and humane working conditions of female officers.