DW BUREAU / Chandigarh

Haryana government has constituted an Internal Complaints Committee to provide protection against Sexual harassment to women at the workplace and to hear the complaints of sexual harassment of the female employees in the Haryana Civil Secretariat.

According to a letter from the Chief Secretary's office, IAS officer, Smt. Amneet P. Kumar has been appointed as the Chairperson/Presiding Officer of the committee. IAS officer, Sh. J. Ganesan, Additional Advocate General, Ms. Shubhra Singh, Under Secretary HSS-I, Smt. Deepali Malik, and Chairperson, Center for Human Rights and Duties, Panjab University, Dr. Upneet Kaur Mangat, have been made members of this committee.

The Presiding Officer and each member will serve on the committee for a maximum of three years from the date of their nomination.

Under Section 4(1) of the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition, and Redressal) Act, 2013, the Internal Complaints Committee shall be deemed to be the Inquiry Authority for the purpose of "Haryana Civil Services" (Punishment and Appeal) Rules, 2016 and the report of the said Committee shall be deemed to be an inquiry report. The disciplinary authority will take action on the report according to the rules.

The Internal Complaints Committee shall be responsible for the redressal of the complaint made by the victim and ensure time-bound treatment of the complaint as per the provisions of the Act.
(editor@dailyworld.in)