Maharashtra commission will now pay surprise visits in offices to check sexual harassment of women

381 plaints of harassment have been filed. Representation pic

The Women's Commission of Maharashtra will take stringent steps against offices if they are found violating the guidelines laid down for the prevention of sexual harassment at work places.

It is mandatory to constitute an Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) to investigate the sexual harassment of women in offices. A team of the Women's Commission will now pay surprise visits to companies to check this. If an ICC has not been formed, a penalty of Rs 50,000 will be levied. The Maharashtra State Women's Commission Chairperson Rupali Chakankar has written a letter to the Secretary of the state on November 10, 2021 regarding the same, and has asked that companies be given directions to have ICCs.

Chakankar told mid-day, "The cancellation of registration license of that company will be recommended. If there is no committee in government and semi-government places, action will be taken against those concerned." The Women's Commission has received 33 cases of sexual harassment of women at their work places from April 1, 2021 to December 31, 2021 and has 23 cases pending before it.