Internal Complaints Committee (Women’s Complaints Committee)

Definition:

The Act, as per the section 2(n), defines sexual harassment include any one or more of the following unwelcome acts or behavior (whether directly or by implication) namely

i. Physical contact and advances; or

ii. A demand or request for sexual favors; or

iii Making sexually colored remarks; or

iv Showing pornography; or

v. Any other unwelcome physical, verbal or non-verbal conduct of sexual nature.

vi. Any act falling under the purview of following cases will be considered as an incident of sexual harassment (Clarification of Unwelcome acts or behavior):

Objectives of the Committee:

The objectives of the Internal Complaint Committee to Prevent Sexual Harassment of Women at the Workplace are as follows:

1. To prevent discrimination &sexual harassment against women at the Institute by promoting gender amity amongst the employee and students.
2. To evolve a permanent mechanism for the prohibition, resolution, settlement, prevention of act of discrimination and redressal of sexual harassment cases and other acts of gender based violence at the Institute.
3. To ensure the implementation of the policy in letter and spirit through proper reporting of the complaints and their follow-up procedures.
4. To uphold the commitment of the Institute to provide an environment free of gender- based discrimination.
5. To create a secure physical and social environment to deter any act of sexual harassment.
6. To promote a social and psychological environment to raise awareness on sexual harassment in its various forms.

Power & Duties of the committee:

A.    The committee is NOT to act as a moral police; neither will it intrude on anyone’s privacy. The role of the Committee is to create awareness about sexual harassment and to deal with and recommend punishment for non-consensual acts of sexual harassment, and not to curtail sexual expression within the campus. Members are expected to be sensitive to the issue and not let personal biases and prejudices (whether based on gender, caste, class) and stereotypes (e.g., predetermined notions of how a “victim” or “accused” should dress up or behave) affect their functioning as members of the committee.

B.     The Act stipulates statutory status to the committee and accordingly the committee shall, while inquiring into a complaint of workplace sexual harassment, have the same powers as vested in a civil court under the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 when trying a suit in respect of

Summoning and enforcing the attendance of any person and examining him on oath;

Requiring the discovery and production of documents; and

Any other matter which may be prescribed

                                                                                  Internal Complaint Committee