Maharashtra women’s commission orders audit of panels against workplace sexual harassment

Mumbai, Mar 1 (PTI) Maharashtra Women's Commission Chairperson Rupali Chakankar has directed all district collectors and divisional commissioners to audit internal committees against workplace sexual harassment in government and private offices across the state within a month.

The move aims to ensure proper implementation of the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 (POSH Act), which makes it compulsory for all offices to have an internal committee to handle complaints of sexual harassment.

At the district level, a local complaints committee must also be in place, an official release said.

The commission said that during visits and from complaints received, several problems were found.

Many offices do not have internal committees, some panels exist only on paper, there is little awareness about the law, members are not trained, annual reports are not submitted and required display boards are missing, it noted.

Officials have been told to check whether internal committees are properly formed and working.

A detailed audit report must be prepared for each office, including details of committee structure, complaints received and pending, action taken, awareness activities, annual reports and display boards, the commission said.

If any office has not formed a committee or has an incomplete one, authorities must ensure it is set up immediately. Legal action can be taken against those who do not follow the law, it said.

All divisional commissioners and district collectors have been asked to submit the audit report to the Maharashtra State Commission for Women within 30 days.

Chakankar said the commission had earlier asked the state government to make POSH audits compulsory. The government issued a resolution on August 22, 2025, supporting this demand.

The audit will help check whether working women in Maharashtra are getting a safe and secure work environment, she added. PTI MR GK