The Delhi High Court on Monday sought a response from Delhi Government on a public interest litigation seeking forthwith restoration of sanitary napkins facility for girl students in all Government schools here and said that mere absence of a running contract is not good enough to discontinue a social measure.
Delhi Government counsel Santosh Kumar Tripathi told a bench headed by Acting Chief Justice Vipin Sanghi that facility, which was stated to have been discontinued since January 2021, is likely to start after schools re-open post summer break as fresh tender has already been floated and same is likely to be finalised soon. The bench, also comprising Justice Sachin Datta, questioned why such a measure should be stopped on account of absence of an interim arrangement and stated that it is always to government to procure goods at approved rates from Government e-Marketplace. The Delhi Government should evolve a policy to deal with situations where existing contract lapses with time, the court stated.
“Mere absence of a running contract is not good enough to discontinue a social measure of this kind and Delhi government should evolve a policy to deal with a situation whenever existing contract lapses with time,” the court said.
The petition by NGO Social Jurist has claimed that since January 2021, the Directorate of Education (DoE) is not providing sanitary napkins under Kishori Yojana to girl students of Delhi government schools due to which they are facing problem.
The matter would be heard next on July 6.