India's top court has rejected a petition seeking menstrual leave for working women and female students with the judges saying if they were to make such a law, "no-one will hire women".
The two-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Surya Kant said mandatory leave would make young women think they are "not at par" with their male colleagues and would be "harmful for their growth".
The subject of menstrual leave has polarised India for long - while many agree with the justices' views, others argue that a day or two off can help women deal with painful periods.
Some states and a number of large private companies have introduced menstrual leaves for employees over the years.
The top court's comments came while hearing a petition filed by lawyer Shailendra Mani Tripathi, seeking a national menstrual leave policy, legal website LiveLaw reported.
