Union law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Tuesday said that allegations of sexual harassment levelled against a Madhya Pradesh High Court judge should be “fairly” enquired and welcomed the decision of the Chief Justice of India promising appropriate action on the complaint by the lady Additional District Judge.
The issue was also raised in Parliament by lok Sabha MP Meenakshi lekhi of the BJP who urged the House to condemn the incident. Raising the issue during Zero Hour, lekhi said the incident was quite shocking and showed that the women were not safe even in the hallowed precincts of the judiciary. She said, “Right to life and right to work of a woman have been affected,” seeking condemnation by the House.
Stepping outside the Rajya Sabha, law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad when confronted with the issue, said, “An incident of alleged sexual harassment of an additional district judge in Madhya Pradesh by a High Court judge has come in media. This incident, as reported, is deeply regrettable and unfortunate.”
He admitted that the matter is sensitive and required thorough probe by the judiciary. “I would wish, more as a citizen of India, that the matter needs to be inquired into fairly and objectively and in the event if the allegations are found to be correct, then I am sure, the judiciary led by the Chief Justice of India would be wise enough to take appropriate action.”
The victim judge who was ADJ in Gwalior court had alleged that the Administrative Judge of the Gwalior Bench of High Court passed “coloured” remarks against her and pressurized her to visit him at his bungalow. Despite being the Chairperson of the District Vishakha Committee, she quit as the judge transferred her to a far flung district for spurning his offer.
In a nine-page complaint to CJI and senior judges of the Supreme Court, the victim judge said that the decision to quit was taken in the interest of her daughter’s education and to protect her dignity and womanhood. The complaint is currently pending consideration of the CJI. The accused judge in question has denied the allegation. In a letter addressed to MP High Court Chief Justice, the judge demanded probe and also willing to suffer death penalty if the allegations are proved true.