An Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) would be formed in every Government office in the State in compliance with the Supreme Court order on a petition on prevention of sexual harassment to women at the workplace.
The respective collectorates in all 27 districts across Chhattisgarh have started sending letters to all the departmental heads for strict implementation of the order through submission of a status report.
It may be recalled that the Central government has introduced a new law for prevention of sexual harassment ‘Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013’ which had come into force from December 9 this year.
The law has put up definitions of employer, workplace and sexual harassment under which complaint committees are to be reorganised and a member of a voluntary body is to be nominated compulsorily in the committee. The tenure of the committee would be for three years.
The law had also made it mandatory for all offices with 10 or more employees to form an Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) for redressal of grievances of sexual harassment cases within a stipulated time or face penalty.
There is a provision of strict punishment, including termination of service, for those found guilty with a similar penalty imposed if a complaint is found to be frivolous by the committee made in the law.
The committee would have to be formed compulsorily in all the Government, semi-government, non-government, commercial and industrial establishments. The various establishments coming under the control of respective department had been directed to ensure formation of committee.
Wherever there are only one or two women employed, the concerned administrative department or the Employer would have to make necessary arrangements for setting up of the committee.
The Act has also made provisions for the committee to conduct hearings and pronounce an order. Under Section 26 of the Act, the Employer is liable to be fined `50,000 in case of him or her failing to form the committee.