Internal Complaints Committee

On 13th Aug 1997, the Supreme Court of India issued a judgment, Vishaka judgment that recognized and addressed sexual harassment at the workplace as a human rights violation. The Supreme Court in its judgment said every woman has a right to a safe workplace. The court gave directives for all employers/organizations making it mandatory to institute sexual harassment complaints committees at workplaces. The judgment also created sexual harassment prevention guidelines for the workplace. The sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act 2013 has replaced the guidelines/norms laid down by Hon’ able Supreme Court on sexual harassment and came into force from 9 December 2013. The Govt. of India made rules for carrying out the provisions of this Act, 2013.

The Internal Complaints Committee is responsible for investigating every formal written complaint of sexual harassment and taking appropriate remedial measures to respond to any substantiated allegations of sexual harassment.

The Internal Complaints Committee shall inquire into the complaints as per the provisions of Section 11 of the Act, 2013. The Committee may give recommendations as may be considered necessary under the provision of Section 12 of the Act, 2013 and based on these recommendations, the Competent Authority shall take appropriate action.

Objectives:

  • Prohibition of any hierarchical oppression exercised based on gender inequality that prohibits intellectual or academic growth.
  • Prevention of gender biased attitude when it comes to adjudication of efficacy of work allocated within working hours.
  • Protection of the fundamental rights of a woman.

Roles & Responsibilities:

  • To help women to realize their rights of freedom.
  • To treat sexual harassment as a misconduct and initiate punitive actions for such misconduct.
  • To assist the aggrieved woman to place the complaint.
  • To safeguard the one who is victimized.
  • To educate and train students about sexual harassment.

PROCEDURE FOR FILING COMPLAINTS

Complaints may be oral, by email or in writing. If the complaint is oral, it will be converted into a written form by the Sexual Harassment Committee member who received the complaint and authenticated by the complainant under his / her signature as soon as possible.

Here, it should be noted that according to the Supreme Court guideline Sexual harassment can be defined as unwelcome sexually determined behavior (whether directly or by implication) as: –

  • Physical contact and advances.
  • Demand or request for sexual favours.
  • Sexually coloured remarks.
  • Showing pornography.
  • Other unwelcome physical, verbal or non – verbal conduct.

THE FOLLOWING IS ALSO SEXUAL HARASSMENT AND IS COVERED BY THE COMMITTEE:

  • Eve-teasing.
  • Unsavoury remarks.
  • Jokes causing or likely to cause awkwardness or embarrassment.
  • Gender based insults or sexist remarks.
  • Unwelcome sexual overtone in any manner such as over telephone (obnoxious telephone calls) and the like.
  • Touching or brushing against any part of the body and the like
  • Displaying pornographic or other offensive or derogatory pictures, cartoons, pamphlets or sayings.
  • Forcible physical touch or molestation.
  • Physical confinement against one’s will and any other act likely to violate one’s privacy.

Students and Women Staff members can write your complaints to Internet Committee. @

raakantisexualcommittee@gmail.com