BENGALURU: The National Human Rights Commission has written to the chief secretary and Karnataka forest department seeking action against a sexual harassment complaint. The commission has acted based on a complaint filed by a female employee against her supervisor at the Wildlife Conservation Society, Bengaluru division.
She filed it with the Department of Women and Child Development and Empowerment of Differently Abled and Senior Citizens, Karnataka. The commission also directed the corporation affairs ministry to take cognisance of the NGO and the issue.
In her complaint copy, she has alleged that she was sexually harassed by her supervisor, but the internal committee constituted by the company did not follow the guidelines of the Prevention of Sexual Harassment at Workplace (POSH) Act. Hence, she has requested the intervention of the Commission in the matter and to take action against the NGO.
The commission took cognisance of the matter in February 2021 and directed the ministry of corporate affairs, women and child welfare department, and the district magistrate to submit an action report within six weeks from the date of issue of the letter (June 23, 2021).
In the complaint, the victim said the seniors in the firm and in New York did not act upon her complaint. Since September 2020, three internal committees were formed. “However, as many of them retired and it was found that the employers failed to perform their duties, the complaint was not dealt with as per the law,” she added. The complainant also stated that she was harassed by the committee repeatedly and they have now sent her a notice to appear before the committee, failing which an ex-parte order will be passed as per POSH rule 7(5). She said she was forced to resign from the firm.