Writ petition filed seeking VAT exemption on sanitary pads

Kathmandu: A writ petition has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking repeal of 13 percent VAT on sanitary pads.

Sreena Nepal and Abhudar Bhetwal have filed petitions against the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Health, Women and Children and the Ministry of Law.

They claim that it is wrong to impose VAT and customs duty on essential sanitary pads for women. Sanitary pads have been included in the quota of ‘luxury items’ by the finance ministry and they have demanded that they be listed as essential items.