HCs asked to set up sexual harassment committees

New Delhi: To ensure protection of women, the Supreme Court on Friday asked the Chief Justices of all high courts to set up sexual harassment committees as contemplated under the Sexual Harassment of Women and Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act in two months.

A three-judge Bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices A.M. Kanwilkar and D.Y. Chandrachud in a petition filed by a Delhi-based woman advocate Afzhan Pracha, who complained of sexual harassment in Tis Hazari court and drawing the attention that no sexual harassment committee has been put in place in the court. She also alleged that her complaint was registered as FIR and a counter FIR has been registered against her.

Taking note of the submissions, the Bench restrained the police from arresting the petitioner as well as the accused named by her and asked the police to conduct a probe enquiry and asked them to co­operate in the investigation.  

The Bench said, “We request the acting Chief Justice of Delhi high court to constitute the requisite Committee in respect of the high court and all District Courts at Delhi, if it has already not been constituted.”