Question : Internal Complaints Committees

801. DR. SHASHI THAROOR:

Will the Minister of WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

(a) whether all the Central Government Departments and PSUs have constituted Internal Complaints Committee (ICCs) against the backdrop of Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act notified by Government of India, 2013;

(b) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;

(c) the total number of sexual harassment complaints filed, resolved and pending in the departments of the Central Government before the respective ICCs since 2013;

(d) whether cooperative institutions in Kerala have constituted the ICCs to look into such cases;

(e) if so, the details thereof, if not, the reasons therefor; and

(f) whether penalty for non-compliance with provisions as provided under Section 26 of the said Act have been imposed on employers including cancellation of their license and if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

ANSWER

MINISTER OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
(SHRIMATI SMRITI ZUBIN IRANI)


(a) & (b) : The Government of India enacted ‘The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013’ (SH Act) with the aim to provide safe and secure work environment to women. The Act is applicable to all women, working in organised or unorganised sector. The Act casts an obligation on all employers to provide a safe and secure working environment free from sexual harassment by constituting Internal Committee (IC)/ Local Committees (LCs) for receiving complaints of sexual harassment at workplace.

(c) to (f): The responsibility of the implementation of the Act rests with the State on the appropriate Government i.e. on the State of Kerala to monitor the implementation of the Act and maintain data on the number of cases filed and disposed of in respect of all cases of sexual harassment at workplace including the cooperative institutions in Kerala, which are established, owned, controlled or wholly or substantially financed by funds provided directly or indirectly by the State. Penalty for non-compliance with provisions of Act as per Section 26 of the Act are dealt with under section 27 of the Act which provides that the Court (not inferior than the court of Metropolitan Magistrate or Judicial Magistrate of first class) shall take cognizance of any offence punishable under this Act or any rules made thereunder only on a complaint made by the aggrieved woman or any person authorised by the Internal Committee or Local Committee in this behalf

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