TIA correspondent
NEW DELHI: In order to protect women modesty, the union cabinet on Thursday gave its nod for the introduction of the much awaited ‘Sexual Harassment’ Bill in Parliament.
Protection of Women against Sexual Harassment at Workplace Bill, 2010 seeks to ensure a safe environment for women at work places, both in public and private in the organised as well as unorganized sectors. Employers who fail to comply with the provisions of the proposed Bill will be liable to pay a fine upto 50,000 rupees. The proposed bill defines sexual harassment as laid down by the Supreme Court. The Bill also recognises the promise or threat to women’s employment prospects or creation of hostile work environment as sexual harassment at work place and seeks to prohibit such acts.
The proposed bill provides for protection against sexual harassment not only to women who are employed but also to any woman who enters the workplace as a client, customer, apprentice, and is daily wage worker or working in a ad-hoc capacity. Students, research scholars in colleges and university and patients in hospitals have also been covered. Every employer will have to set up an Internal Committee to probe complaints of sexual harassment. It will have complete the enquiry within 90 days .Two months time will be given acting on recommendations of the Committee after the probe. Since there is a possibility, of women being subject to threat and aggression, till the probe is on the victim will be given the option to seek interim relief. To ensure that the law is not misused, safeguards have also been proposed against false or malicious complaints.
Implementation of the Bill will be the responsibility of the Central Government in case of its own undertakings/establishments and of the State Governments in respect of every workplace established, owned, controlled or wholly or substantially financed by it as well as of private sector establishments falling within their territory. Besides, the State and Central Governments will oversee implementation as the proposed Bill casts a duty on the Employers to include a Report on the number of cases filed and disposed of in their Annual Report. Organizations, which do not prepare Annual Reports, would forward this information to the District Officer.