3 months ago
1
The State government’s plans connected ushering successful the Karnataka Women Well Being Leave Bill, 2025, seen arsenic a pioneering authorities successful the country, seems to person gone connected the backburner for the clip being amid absorption from respective quarters.
The Bill was projected to beryllium introduced during the past Winter Session successful Belagavi, adjacent arsenic the Government Order connected the one-day menstrual permission a period had been questioned successful the Karnataka High Court. The Bill, however, did not marque it to the legislature.
Opposition
“We person decided to enactment the Bill connected the backburner owed to opposition. It was besides felt that schoolhouse girls who are besides covered successful the Bill could beryllium stigmatised if they avail themselves of the menstrual leave. It was felt that the Bill required wider consultation,” sources successful the authorities told The Hindu.
He besides acknowledged that determination was absorption from a fewer Ministers arsenic well.
After the Cabinet cleared the Menstrual Leave Policy successful November, 2025, applicable to women aged betwixt 18 and 52, a GO that followed brought the backstage assemblage nether the fold. Later, it brought the authorities employees excessively nether its ambit.
However, to marque the argumentation legally stronger, a legislation, it was felt, was essential. That is due to the fact that Plantations Labour Act, 1951, Karnataka Shops and Commercial Establishments Act, 1961, The Factories Act, 1948, The Mines Act, 1952, Beedi and Cigar Workers Act, 1966 and Motor Transport Workers Act, 1961, that applies to workplaces bash not person proviso for menstrual leave.
Broader coverage
In fact, going a measurement guardant from the GO, the authorities had projected to region the 18 years eligibility criteria to accommodate school/ assemblage students nether the legislation, too proposing fines for those violating the provisions, which was regarded radical.
According to a Minister alert of the development, determination was anticipation of reviving the Bill aft further consultation.
Four months later...
Nearly 4 months aft the authorities introduced one-day menstrual permission argumentation and issued a GO, its implementation crossed industries has remained lackadaisical.
In the authorities sector, idiosyncratic departments person started notifying the implementation. The Education Department notified the permission recently.
A ample fig of industries look to beryllium citing the ongoing lawsuit successful the Karnataka High Court arsenic the crushed not to instrumentality the permission argumentation close away.
Confusion
However, a Law Department sources argued, “The High Court successful December has recalled the enactment bid connected the GO, which efficaciously means that the GO is inactive legal.”
According to a Minister, the tribunal lawsuit seems to person caused confusion, and that it is apt the contented volition beryllium addressed successful the Budget.
Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot, successful his Republic Day address, termed paid menstrual permission argumentation of Karnataka arsenic 1 of the “revolutionary decisions” successful the state for the wellness and well-being of women.
While the archetypal notification of November 12, 2025, brought lone backstage assemblage nether the ambit, a consequent bid connected December 2, 2025, covered the authorities employees.
According to commercialized national sources, though immoderate industries person already implemented the permission policy, a ample fig of them person informed the unions that they would hold for the tribunal bid since the GO is nether litigation.
“In immoderate cases, though factories person implemented the policy, the menstrual permission is connected to attendance inducement that is provided to employees with afloat attendance successful a month,” sources said.
No punishment clause
The lack of immoderate punishment clause successful the GO connected industries oregon individuals denying the menstrual permission is being seen arsenic a loophole, making it hard to implement. Besides, the authorities has not identified immoderate department/ bureau to show the implementation.
“The projected Bill has some monitoring provisions arsenic good arsenic provisions to levy a punishment of ₹5,000 for denying leave. The GO, successful the lack of a legislation, is weak,” a commercialized national root said.
