The Supreme Court of India has asked all state governments about the enforcement of guidelines on sterlisation. The Supreme Court (sc) directive regarding the framing of a proper insurance scheme to protect women from post-sterilisation woes comes in response to an application filed by a petitioner demanding strict enforcement of government guidelines on standards for female and male sterilisation. The states have been given an ultimatum of four weeks within which they are to file their replies.

The order was passed on August 22 by a SC bench headed by Justice N Santosh Hegde. Apart from requesting the court to direct the states to "evolve and implement a comprehensive insurance scheme for women undergoing sterilisation,' the petitioner also wants to make the states liable to pay compensation in case of negligence during such operations.

Quoting a study conducted at sterilisation camps in Uttar Pradesh (traditionally known to have abysmal reproductive healthcare standards) the petitioner claimed that there had been reports of girls between 15-19 years being sterilised.