Latest news with #SexualHarassmentofWomenatWorkplace(Prevention
Time of India
11 hours ago
- Time of India
Colleges asked to upload ICC details on central portal
Bhubaneswar: The higher education department on Wednesday asked principals of degree colleges, teacher education institutes and Sanskrit degree colleges to upload the details of their internal complaints committees (ICC)s and other information on the SHe-Box portal by Aug 1. The 'sexual harassment electronic box' (SHe-Box) is an initiative of the ministry of women and child development to provide single-window access to all women, irrespective of their work status. In the portal, details of ICC/local committees and the number of complaints received and disposed of under the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013, will be displayed. Uploading details of ICCs at the department/office level is one of the key tasks under the portal. For the purpose, regional directors of education (RDEs) have been appointed as nodal officers in their zones, and the details of zonal nodal officers have been uploaded on the portal. Higher educational institutes have been urged to update the password and upload the details of ICC and other information on the portal. The move follows the self-immolation of a college student in Balasore recently, alleging inaction over sexual harassment complaint against her head of department, which led to widespread outrage.
The Hindu
15 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
Two-day Kerala Film Policy conclave to be held in capital from August 2
The Kerala Film Policy Conclave, organised by the State government as part of the framing of a policy for the Malayalam film industry, will witness the participation of over 500 delegates from all over the world and will have nine plenary sessions covering all aspects of the film industry. Filmmaker who took over as the chairperson of the Kerala State Film Development Corporation earlier this week, said at a press conference here that the conclave will lead to the formulation of a comprehensive film policy. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will inaugurate the two-day conclave at a function to be held at the Sankaranarayanan Thampi Hall inside the Legislative Assembly complex in Thiruvananthapuram on August 2. The opening session will be on gender and inclusivity in the industry, with a focus on building equitable workplaces in the film industry and implementation of Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 (POSH Act) in sets and studios. Minister for Woman and Child Development Veena George will be the keynote speaker in the session with actors and filmmakers Suhasini Maniratnam, Revathy, Renji Panicker, film editor Bina Paul, actor, casting director Nimisha Haridasan and activist Sheetal Shyam as participants and senior journalist Saraswathy Nagarajan as the moderator. The session on labour, contract and workplace will have filmmaker and general secretary of the Film Employees Federation of Kerala (FEFKA) as the keynote speaker and filmmaker Hansal Mehta, filmmaker and producer Miriam Joseph, producers and Aditi Anand and others as panelists. A session on legal frameworks and grievances redressal will have Women's Commission chairperson as the keynote speaker, with filmmakers Sudhir Mishra, Sibi Malayil, Anjali Menon, lawyer and actor Muthumani Somasundaram and others as panelists. Veteran journalist Sashi Kumar will be the keynote speaker in a session on futuristic technology and skilling in cinema in which filmmakers Saeed Akthar Mirza, sound engineer Resul Pookutty, Ashish Kulkarni, Chairperson of AVGC-XR forum, FICCI, and Kerala Startup Mission CEO Anoop Ambika will be the panelists. Filmmaker Bijukumar Damodaran will be the keynote speaker in a panel on creative ecosystem and independent cinema. Adeela Abdulla, Special Secretary, Social Justice Department will be the keynote speaker in a discussion on e-ticketing, film exhibition and distribution. The other discussions will be on producing films without roadblocks, tax rebates, exemptions and incentives to filmmakers, film facilities, archiving of cinema, film tourism, film festivals and film societies. Filmmaker Adoor Gopalakrishnan will be the chief guest at the closing ceremony on August 3, while Minister for Cultural Affairs Saji Cherian will present a detailed report on the sessions on both days.
The Hindu
a day ago
- Business
- The Hindu
Delhi CM approves amendments to allow women on night shifts
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has approved amendments to the Delhi Shops and Establishments Act, 1954, to allow women to work on night shifts in establishments. The file has been sent for Lieutenant Governor V.K. Saxena for his approval, a source at the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) said on Tuesday. On June 30, at a meeting chaired by the L-G and attended by the CM and other Ministers, directions were given to allow women to work at night shifts by amending the Act, according to the source. Currently, the law prohibits a woman from working between 9 p.m. and 7 a.m. during summer and between 8 p.m. and 8 a.m. during winter. 'To implement this decision [to allow women], exemptions are being made under the Act. The forthcoming amendment will remove the restrictions, thereby enabling women to work night shifts across the city,' a statement from the CMO said on Tuesday. Women safety However, to safeguard women working in night shifts, a comprehensive set of conditions will be mandatory for all establishments and a prior written consent of women employees will be required. 'Workplaces must have CCTV surveillance, female security guards, and secure transport facilities. Each establishment must also constitute an Internal Complaints Committee under the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition, and Redressal) Act, 2013. Furthermore, restrooms, toilets, lockers, and other basic amenities must be provided,' the statement said. The CM said the amendments to the Act would play a pivotal role in establishing Delhi as a 24x7 business hub. Similar laws to allow women to work in night shifts are already in place in States such as Haryana, Telangana, Madhya Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu, the statement said. The previous Aam Aadmi Party government had proposed the Delhi Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Rules in 2023 to allow women to work night shifts. However, the Delhi police objected to it, citing safety concerns, and it was never implemented, an official said.
India Today
2 days ago
- India Today
Delhi University mandates anti-ragging declarations for new students and parents
As the new academic session begins, the University of Delhi (DU) has stepped up its efforts to prevent ragging and ensure a smooth induction process for a meeting held by the Proctorial Board on Monday, a 10-point action plan was finalised to enforce a zero-tolerance approach towards ragging and and departments have been instructed to implement Ordinances XV-B and XV-C strictly and adhere to the provisions of the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, The following are some of the key anti-ragging steps taken by Delhi University:1. MANDATORY ANTI-RAGGING UNDERTAKINGSAll newly admitted students and their parents or guardians must submit an anti-ragging undertaking at the time of admission via the national portal as per Supreme Court guidelines.2. JOINT CONTROL ROOMS ON BOTH CAMPUSESTo ensure prompt support and intervention, joint control rooms will operate from August 1 to August 8 at:North Campus: Tel. 27667221South Campus: Tel. 24119832These centres will be responsible for addressing student concerns and coordinating safety measures.3. ANTI-RAGGING AWARENESS WEEKIn accordance with UGC guidelines, DU will observe Anti-Ragging Day on August 12. This will be followed by an Anti-Ragging Week until August 18 to promote awareness among students and staff.4. CAMPUS-WIDE POSTER CAMPAIGNPosters outlining anti-ragging rules and student rights in both English and Hindi have been placed across strategic locations throughout DU campuses.5. ENTRY MONITORING AND VIGILANCE SQUADSColleges and hostels have been directed to:Restrict entry of outsidersForm Anti-Ragging Committees and Vigilance SquadsInvolve NCC/NSS volunteers in surveillanceThis is to ensure continuous monitoring of sensitive areas.6. POLICE PICKETS AND NIGHT PATROLLINGDelhi Police will post pickets outside every college, with a special focus on women's colleges. Regular patrols will be conducted throughout both campuses to enhance security.7. DEPLOYMENT OF WOMEN POLICE IN PLAIN CLOTHESPlain-clothes women officers will be deployed in and around college areas to deter ragging, eve-teasing, and other forms of harassment.8. VERIFICATION OF PAYING GUEST (PG) ACCOMMODATIONSStudents opting for PG housing are advised to verify their accommodation through the local police. This step is aimed at ensuring student safety beyond campus premises.9. ONLINE COMPLAINT SYSTEMS FOR REPORTINGPolice officials have ensured that students can report ragging incidents through streamlined online systems, including cybercrime portals, allowing for swift redressal of complaints.10. REGULAR COMPLIANCE REPORTS FROM COLLEGESHeads of institutions must submit:Weekly reports for the first three monthsMonthly reports thereafterThese will be sent to the University Proctor at proctor@ as mandated under UGC's 2009 anti-ragging WARNINGDelhi University has reiterated that any act of ragging will be met with strict penalties, including:advertisementSuspension or expulsionCancellation of admission or degreeWithholding of exam resultsDisqualification from classes and university activities- EndsMust Watch
News18
2 days ago
- Politics
- News18
Social Media Used For Academic Interaction Falls In Ambit Of Workplace Under POSH Law: Delhi HC
A DU professor accused of sexual harassment had challenged the university's disciplinary action, claiming social media conversations should not be treated as workplace harassment The Delhi High Court has upheld the compulsory retirement of a Delhi University assistant professor after an internal complaints committee found him guilty of sexually harassing four students and an alumna via WhatsApp and Facebook messages. The court ruled that social media platforms used in the context of academic interactions are within the ambit of a workplace under the POSH law. The professor had challenged the findings of the internal complaints committee (ICC) and the university's disciplinary action, claiming procedural irregularities and arguing that private social media conversations should not be treated as workplace harassment. The court rejected all grounds of challenge. The complaints, filed in 2018, alleged that the professor had sent sexually charged, inappropriate, and unsolicited messages through Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp. Screenshots submitted by the complainants revealed late-night texts with sexual innuendos and repeated digital contact despite objections. The ICC found the complaints credible and concluded that the conduct constituted sexual harassment under Section 2(n) of the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013. The inquiry established that the accused used his position to exploit academic and personal boundaries over digital platforms. The professor was issued a show-cause notice in July 2018. After considering his written response and oral submissions before the governing body, the university accepted the ICC's recommendation and imposed the penalty of compulsory retirement in October 2018, which was subsequently ratified by the vice-chancellor. In his petition before the Delhi High Court, the professor argued that the ICC was not properly constituted and that the inquiry process violated Rule 7(7) of the POSH Rules. He claimed the committee had failed to offer him sufficient opportunity to cross-examine the complainants and that no detailed 'speaking order" was issued by the university in the final disciplinary decision. Justice Subramonium Prasad, however, dismissed the petition. The court held that the ICC was validly constituted and the inquiry was conducted as per law. The professor's non-cooperation during evidence collection and cross-examination was noted on record, and the court found no procedural irregularity that could vitiate the process. Significantly, the HC held that digital platforms like WhatsApp and Facebook, when used in the context of academic or hierarchical relationships, fall within the scope of 'workplace" under the POSH Act. The power dynamic between the professor and the students was relevant in establishing the workplace context, despite the online medium. The court observed that the 'WhatsApp and Facebook messages sent by the petitioner are so profane that this court refrains from reproducing the same in the order". It also remarked that 'teachers shape the careers of young aspiring students", and misconduct by educators has a 'deleterious effect on the psyche" of the victims. The court clarified that the absence of a speaking order from the university did not cause prejudice to the petitioner, since the disciplinary process followed ICC findings and provided both notice and hearing. The ruling reaffirms the legal validity of ICC inquiries under the POSH Act and reinforces the interpretation that harassment through digital channels by a person in authority, even outside institutional premises, can constitute workplace sexual harassment. view comments Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
