Bangalore Hotels Association Moves High Court Against Mandatory Menstrual Leave Order

The Bangalore Hotels Association (BHA) has approached the Karnataka High Court challenging the State government’s recent directive that makes menstrual leave compulsory for women employees across multiple sectors.

In its petition, the association has questioned the foundation of the order, noting that the State government itself has not extended such leave to women employed in its own departments.

The Labour Department’s notification, issued on November 12, 2025, directs all establishments governed by the Factories Act of 1948, the Karnataka Shops and Commercial Establishments Act of 1961, the Plantations Labour Act of 1951, the Beedi and Cigar Workers Act of 1966, and the Motor Transport Workers Act of 1961 to provide one day of menstrual leave each month. The mandate covers permanent, contractual and outsourced women workers, amounting to 12 days of leave annually.

In its plea, the BHA argues that none of the cited legislations grant the government the authority to impose such a requirement and asserts that decisions on leave policy fall under the internal administrative purview of individual employers. The association has also described the order as “discriminatory,” stressing that the State, despite being among the largest employers of women, has not implemented a parallel measure for its own employees.

Advocate B.K. Prashanth is appearing for the association in the proceedings.

P.C. Rao, the BHA’s honorary president, stated that the petition is expected to come up shortly before a bench led by Justice Jyoti Moolimani.

With PTI inputs