Karnataka Issues Official Order to Implement Paid Menstrual Leave

By: WE staff | Friday, 14 November 2025

• Government of Karnataka grants one day of paid menstrual leave per month for women employees
• Applies to women working in establishments registered under various labour laws in the State
• The policy will support women's well-being and empowerment

The Congress-led government in Karnataka issued an official order to grant one day of paid menstrual leave per month to women employees working in establishments registered under various labour laws in the state.

The Menstrual Leave Policy – 2025, recently cleared by the cabinet under Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, has been proposed with the aim of supporting the well-being and empowerment of women. This adds to the various welfare initiatives the state government has implemented for women.

According to Labour Minister Santosh S. Lad, the policy was initiated to safeguard the health and mental well-being of women employees.

He described this initiative as a historic step toward women’s empowerment and thanked Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, and other cabinet members who were supportive of it.

The policy had come following several rounds of meetings and consultations. A committee consisting of 18 members headed by Sapna S.,who is the Head of the Department of Law at Christ University, considered the matter and defined menstrual health as part of women's rights and workplace welfare. The cabinet gave the final approval based on the report by the committee.

It was Minister Santosh who spearheaded the implementation of the policy by studying the menstrual leave policies implemented in other states in India and abroad for a comprehensive and structured rollout of the same.

The Ministry of Labor stated that women employees in all sectors greatly value the policy. It represents a major step forward after a long history of demands for access to a vital health service, and it is a major advance for women’s health and empowerment, with benefits for their families.