Sexual Harrassment of Women at Working Place-DOPT

SI.

No.

Question

Answer

1.

Whether there is any

Rule for prohibition of

sexual harassment of

working woman?

Yes.     Rule 3-C of CCS (Conduct) Rules, 1964 prohibits

sexual harassment of any woman at her workplace.

2.

What are the specific

provisions of the Rule?

(1) No Government servant shall indulge in any act of

sexual harassment of any woman at her work place.

(2) Every Government servant who is incharge of a

workplace shall take appropriate steps to prevent sexual

harassment to any woman at such workplace.

Explanation.-     For   the   purpose    of   this   Rule,   ‘sexual

harassment’       includes     such      unwelcomed      sexually

determined behaviour whether directly or otherwise, as —

(a) physical contact and advances;

(b) demand or request for sexual favours ;

(c) sexually coloured remarks;

(d) showing any pornography; or

(e) any other unwelcome physical, verbal or non-verbal

conduct of a sexual nature.

3.

What           are          the

guidelines and       norms

to     be    maintained    to

prevent and deal with

cases          of        sexual

harassment in working

place?

The Hon’ble Supreme Court has laid down guidelines and

norms in this matter in the case of Vishakha & Ors. Vs.

State of Rajasthan & Ors. (Jt. 1997(7) SC 384). These

guidelines and norms to be observed to prevent sexual

harassment of working woman have been circulated to all

Ministries    and    Departments    vide    DOPT’s     O.M.    No.

11013/10/1997-Estt.A dated 13.2.1998.          A copy of these

guidelines are available on the website on the Ministry at

www.persmin.nic.in.  As    per above      guidelines,   there

should be a Complaints Committee, a special Counsellor

or     other    support    service    including    maintenance    of

confidentiality.

(DOPT’s O.M. dated 21.7.2009 and 7.8.2009)

4.

Composition                 of

Complaints

Committee.

The Complaints Committee should be headed by a

woman and not less than half of its Members should be

women.     Further, to prevent the possibility of any undue

pressure or influence from senior levels, such Complaints

Committee should involve a third party, either NGO or

other body who        is familiar with the        issue of sexual

harassment.

(enclosure of DOPT’s O.M. dated 13^th Feb., 1998)

5.

What will be the rank

of the Chairperson of

the Committee?

Committee should be headed by an officer sufficiently

higher     in    rank    so    as    to    lend    credibility    to    the

investigations.

(DOPT’s O.M. 11013/10/97-EstA dated 13.7.1999)

6.

What about complaints

against      senior     level

officers?

For inquiring into complaints made against officers of the

level of Secretary, Addl Secretary and equivalent level of

Govt. of India, a separate Complaints Committee has

been set up by the Cabinet Secretariat with the approval

of the Prime Minister.

(DOPT’s O.M. No. 11013/3/2009-Estt. A dated 2^nd Feb.,

2009, Cab. Secretariat’s O.M. 501/28/1/2008-CA.V dated

26.9.2008)

7.

Whether           separate

Complaints Committee

should be set up for

each        complaint       of

sexual          harassment

case?

No.      It is necessary to have in place at all times an

effective mechanism for dealing with cases of sexual

harassment and to create awareness in this regard.

There      should     be     Standing      Committee     in     each

organisation for inquiring into any such complaints.         The

Complaints Committee must make an Annual Report to

the Government Department concerned of the complaints

and action taken by them.        It would also be desirable of

the Committees to meet once in a quarter even if there is

no    live   case    and    review    preparedness     to   fulfil   all

requirements of the Vishakha judgment in the Department

/ Ministry / Organisation concerned.

(DOPT’     s O.M.        dated    21.7.2009,     7.8.2009 and      3rd

August, 2009)

8.

.

What is the status of

the      report      of      the

Complaints

Committee?

In its Order dated 26.04.2004 in the Writ Petition No. 173-

177/1999 in the case of Medha Kotwal Lele and Ors. Vs.

U01 & Ors. the Hon’ble Supreme Court has directed that’

the     Reports of the Complaints Committee shall               be

deemed     an    Inquiry   Report    under the      CCS     Rules.

Thereafter, the Disciplinary Authority will act on the report

in accordance with the Rules’. Sub-Rule (2) of Rule 14 of

CCS (CCA) Rules, 1965 has accordingly been amended

to     provide that the       Complaints    Committee   shall    be

deemed to be the Inquiry Authority for the purpose of

these Rules by the Notification No. 11012/5/2001-EstA

dated 01.07.2004 (GSR 225 dated 10^th July, 2004).              In

view of the said amendment made to the CCS(CCA)

Rules, the instructions contained in DOPT’s O.M. dated

12^th Dec., 2002 stands modified and the report of the

Complaints Committee should be treated as an inquiry

report and not a preliminary report.

[DOP&T O.M. No.11013/3/2009-Estt. (A) Dated the

21st      July, 2009]

[DOPT OM dated 12.12.2002 as amended by O.M. dated

4.8. 2005]