SC sets deadline for anti-sexual harassment panels

The Supreme Court on Friday fixed a two-month deadline for all courts in the country to set up anti-sexual harassment committees to examine complaints of women facing sexual harassment at workplace. The Court requested all High Courts in the country to ensure that its order is complied with by all district courts.

The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act of 2013 requires every workplace to set up committees to probe sexual harassment complaints.

The order was passed by a bench headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dipak Misra while dealing with a petition filed by a woman lawyer alleging sexual harassment by her male colleagues at Tis Hazari courts. The bench, also comprising Justices AM Khawnwilkar and DY Chandrachud, requested Justice Gita Mittal, Acting Chief Justice of Delhi HC to constitute such committees in the Delhi HC and all district courts in the Capital.

The woman lawyer represented by senior advocate Indira Jaising claimed that during a protest at the Tis Hazari courts some lawyers had assaulted following which she filed a FIR. But soon cross-FIRs were registered against her by the accused lawyers. On Friday, members of the Delhi Bar Association gathered in huge numbers inside CJI's court when the hearing of the case was on. Jaising said that the cross-FIR was an attempt to gag her.

The bench directed the woman lawyer and the Bar leaders to amicably settle their disputes and directed that advocates from both sides should not be arrested in connection with the FIRs registered.

The Court entrusted the Delhi Police Crime Branch to investigate the cross complaints. On the request of the victim lawyer, the bench directed transfer of the trials arising out of the FIRs in the case to the Patiala House District Courts and urged the lawyers not to interfere in any manner with the conduct of trial.