Reserved on : 13.01.2026 Pronounced on : 15.04.2026 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA DHARWAD BENCH DATED THIS THE 15^TH DAY OF APRIL, 2026 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE M. NAGAPRASANNA WRIT PETITION No.109734 OF 2025 (GM -RES)

BETWEEN:

SMT. CHANDRAVVA HANAMANT GOKAVI W/O HANAMANT GOKAVI AGED ABOUT 41 YEARS OCCU: HOTEL WORKER R/O IRANNA NAGAR MUDALAGI (RURAL)

TALUK GOKAK BELGAUM – 591312.

... PETITIONER (BY MS.DEEKSHA N.AMRUTHESH, ADVOCATE)

AND:

1 . STATE OF KARNATAKA VIDHANASOUDHA AMBEDKAR VEEDHI BENGALURU – 560001 REPRESENTED BY ITS CHIEF SECRETARY.

2 . PRINCIPAL SECRETARY.

DEPARTMENT OF LABOUR GOVERNMENT OF KARNATAKA NO.414, 4^THFLOOR VIKASA SOUDHA BENGALURU – 560001. 3 . COMMISSIONER, DEPARTMENT OF LABOUR GOVERNMENT OF KARNATAKA KARMIKA BHAVAN,DAIRY CIRCLE BANNERGHATTA ROAD BENGALURU – 01.

4 . WELFARE COMMISSIONER, KARNATAKA LABOUR WELFARE BOARD KARMIKA KALYAN BHAVAN NO.48, 2^NDFLOOR, MATHIKERE MAINROAD YESHWANTHPURA BENGALURU – 560022.

5 . DEPUTY COMMISSIONER, BELGAUM DISTRICT, OFFICE OF DEPUTY COMMISSIONER DISTRICT COURT COMPOUND BELGAUM – 590001.

6 . DEPUTY LABOUR COMMISSIONER, KARMIK BHAVAN BELGAUM DISTRICT BELGAUM – 590008.

7 . KARNATAKA STATE COMMISSION FOR WOMEN OFFICE OF DEPUTY COMMISSIONER DISTRICT COURT COMPOUND BELGAUM DISTRICT – 590001 REPRESENTED BY NODAL DISTRICT OFFICER.

... RESPONDENTS (BY SMT.PRATHIMA HONNAPURA, AAG)

THIS WRIT PETITION IS FILED UNDER ARTICLES 226 AND

227 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA PRAYING TO I) ISSUE A WRIT OF MANDAMUS OR ANY OTHER APPROPRIATE ORDER TO THE RESPONDENTS TO CONSIDER THE REPRESENTATION VIDE ANNEXURE-F, DATED 10.12.2025 OF THE PETITIONER IN A TIME BOUND MANNER, IN THE INTEREST OF JUSTICE AND EQUITY; II) ISSUE A WRIT OF MANDAMUS, DIRECTING THE RESPONDENT NO.1-STATE OF KARNATAKA, DEPARTMENT OF LABOUR AND RESPONDENT NO.2 DEPUTY LABOUR COMMISSIONER, BELAGAVI, TO IMPLEMENT AND ENFORCE THE GOVT.ORDER BEARING NO.LD466LET2023 DATED 20.11.2025 VIDE ANNEXURE-D AND GOVERNMENT NOTIFICATION PUBLISHED IN THE KARNATAKA GAZETTEE EXTRA ORDINARY PART 1, NO.748/KaE466 LET 2023 DATED 12.11.2025 INTRODUCING THE MENSTRUAL LEAVE POLICY, VIDE ANNEXURE-D1, DATED 20.11.2025, ACROSS ALL ESTABLISHMENTS WITHIN THE JURISDICTION OF BELAGAVI DISTRICT, INCLUDING HOTELS AND SMALL COMMERCIAL UNTIS, IN THE INTEREST OF EQUITY AND JUSTICE; III) ISSUE A WRIT OF MANDAMUS ANY OTHER APPROPRIATE WRIT OR ORDER DIRECTING THE RESPONDENTS TO FRAME AND ISSUE APPROPRIATE GUIDELINES, CIRCULARS OR INSTRUCTIONS TO SECURE UNIFORM IMPLEMENTATION AND EXECUTION OF THE POLICY, PARTICULARLY IN THE UNORGANISED LABOUR SECTOR WHERE WOMEN WORKERS SUCH AS THE PETITIONER ARE MOST VULNERABLE, IN THE INTEREST OF JUSTICE AND EQUITY.

THIS WRIT PETITION HAVING BEEN HEARD AND RESERVED FOR ORDERS ON 13.01.2026, COMING ON FOR PRONOUNCEMENT THIS DAY, THE COURT MADE THE FOLLOWING:-

CORAM: THE HON'BLE MR JUSTICE M.NAGAPRASANNA

CAV ORDER

The petitioner, a woman of modest means who asserts that she has toiled as a labourer for several years, now stands before the doors of this Hon’ble Court, invoking its extraordinary jurisdiction, seeking the complete and meaningful implementation of the policy of the State Government as enunciated on 12-11-2025 and subsequently crystallized through Government Orders dated

20-11-2025 and 02-12-2025.

2. Facts, in brief, germane are as follows: -

2.1. The petitioner is stated to be employed in a small, local hotel, where her daily existence is marked by relentless physical exertion. Her duties, as narrated, encompass cleaning, washing of utensils, serving of food, and the performance of assorted menial tasks that demand sustained bodily labour from the early hours of the morning until late into the evening.

2.2. The environment in which she is constrained to work is described as not only physically taxing, but also bereft of adequate standards of hygiene and dignity. Such conditions, it is urged, bear with particular severity upon women workers, and more so during the period of menstruation, when the natural physiological processes of the body a