BENGALURU: The Karnataka State Bar Council (KSBC) has constituted a Sexual Harassment Complaint and Redressal Committee to address cases of sexual harassment at the workplace.
The move is in line with the Vishaka guidelines issued by the Supreme Court in cases of sexual harassment. Bhushani Kumar has been appointed as chairperson of the committee.
According to P P Hegde, Chairman of KSBC, the apex court had issued a show-cause notice to all bar councils in the state for not constituting the committees despite being directed to do so.
Hegde said the Bar Council president and a representative of an NGO were also part of the five-member committee. The panel will address complaints of sexual harassment at workplaces in all courts in the city. Similar committees will be constituted at the taluk as well as the district levels, he said.
The committee is also organising a state-level awareness programme for advocates on ‘prevention of sexual harassment at workplace’ at 5.30 pm on Thursday at the Patron-in-chief Hall on the High Court premises.
Officiating Chief Justice Subhro Kamal Mukherjee will inaugurate the programme. Justice N K Patil will be the guest of honour.