15 women professionals term menstrual leave policy ‘benevolent sexism’, move Karnataka High Court

Fifteen women professionals challenge Karnataka's menstrual leave policy in court, labeling it as benevolent sexism and harmful to equality.

Terming Karnataka’s menstrual leave policy as “benevolent sexism”, 15 women professionals, working in senior managerial positions in various private companies, have moved the High Court of Karnataka opposing the policy and questioning the legality of the State government’s November 2025 notification mandating one day of paid menstrual leave per month for women employees aged 18 to 52.

The petition has been tagged along with petitions filed by the Karnataka Employers’ Association and the Bangalore Hotels’ Association challenging the legality of the policy, which are pending adjudication before the court.

Justice Anant Ramanath Hegde on Thursday adjourned further hearing till April 1.

It has been stated in the petition that the policy creates a competitive disadvantage for women in hiring and promotions, discourages employers from placing women in leadership roles, and infringes upon privacy by compelling disclosure of menstrual cycles to employers.

“The policy is a clear instance of benevolent sexism, where measures, though appearing protective, are rooted in paternalistic stereotypical assumptions about women’s capabilities, portraying them as weaker and less reliable employees. This reinforces very biases that women have fought for decades to overcome and will inevitably lead to discrimination against women in hiring and promotion,” it has been contended in the petition.

Emphasising that true workplace equality requires inclusive policies such as flexible work hours, hygienic facilities, and universal health support, rather than sex-specific distinctions, the petitioners feared the menstrual leave notification will hinder career progression and reinforce biases against women in the labour market.