Delhi HC mandates sanitary pad vending machines, women-only washrooms at all police stations
The Delhi High Court on Wednesday directed the Delhi Police to install sanitary pad vending machines at all police stations in the capital and provide exclusive washrooms for women personnel. The order came on a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking to ensure basic menstrual hygiene and sanitation facilities for women police officers at their workplaces.
A Bench of Chief Justice D.K. Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia instructed the Commissioner of Police to conduct a survey of all police stations within six weeks to assess the availability of exclusive washrooms and sanitary pads, and then take appropriate steps based on the findings.
“Based on the report of the survey, appropriate steps shall be taken by the police to provide each police station with the facility of a sanitary pad vending machine and also an exclusive washroom for women personnel,” the Bench said. The court also asked the police to file an affidavit detailing the measures taken pursuant to the directions and scheduled the next hearing for September 23.
The PIL, filed by the NGO Justice for Rights Foundation, argued that ensuring such essential infrastructure for women police personnel is indispensable to fulfilling the constitutional mandate under Article 21 of the Constitution, as these facilities are “an essential aspect of the right to live with dignity, health, privacy and humane working conditions”.
Relying on information obtained under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, the petitioner asserted that despite thousands of women police personnel serving across hundreds of police stations in Delhi, sanitary pad vending machines were available only at a few locations. The plea also alleged a complete absence of budgetary allocation or policy for providing hygiene facilities and infrastructure.
“This omission on the part of the State transcends a mere administrative lapse.... The respondents’ failure to provide such basic infrastructure violates their dignity, health, privacy and safe working conditions, contrary to Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution,” the plea stated.
The petition sought directions to install sanitary pad vending machines and incinerators in all police stations and units under Delhi Police, and to ensure their continuous functioning and maintenance. It also asked for clean, functional, private and adequately equipped washrooms exclusively for women police personnel at all Delhi Police establishments.
The court’s directive comes amid growing recognition of the need for gender-sensitive infrastructure in public institutions. Women constitute a significant and increasing proportion of the Delhi Police workforce, and the lack of basic facilities has been a long-standing concern for their safety and dignity at work.
Legal experts note that the judgment reinforces the State’s obligation to provide humane working conditions for its employees, particularly in roles that require shift work and long hours. The order also sets a precedent for other states to follow in addressing workplace hygiene needs for women in uniform.
