The Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) has informed the Kerala High Court that it cannot grant paid menstrual leave to women conductors and other female employees, describing such a policy as financially and operationally unviable under its current circumstances.
The statement was made in a counter-affidavit filed by KSRTC’s legal representatives in response to a petition by women conductors seeking two days of paid menstrual leave per month. The corporation, struggling to meet its existing salary and pension liabilities, argued that introducing this additional paid benefit would place a significant burden on its limited financial resources.
KSRTC noted that out of its total 2,846 female employees, 1,842 are conductors — and granting two days of paid menstrual leave to each employee would translate to about 5,700 extra paid leave days annually, further straining manpower and complicating daily operations. The corporation warned that this could lead to understaffing, increased operational costs and the need to hire additional workers, which it says it is currently unable to afford.
In its court response, KSRTC also maintained that menstrual leave policy decisions fall within the legislative and executive domains rather than the judiciary’s mandate, and that courts should not direct policy changes that impact state employment systems and finances.
The corporation referenced experiences in other states where similar policies have been introduced — such as Karnataka’s provision of paid menstrual leave — but contended that the unique fiscal and administrative challenges facing KSRTC make such a policy impractical for its workforce at this time.
The case is being heard by the High Court, which will consider whether KSRTC must revisit existing leave regulations or whether broader policy changes should be driven by state legislation rather than judicial orders.
News as reported
