The Indian Journalists’ Union (IJU) has demanded that the Prevention of Sexual Harassment Act, 2013 be amended to include provisions of special courts or tribunals where the victims can appeal against the decision of the Internal Complaints Committee (ICC).
In identical letters to Union Minister for Women & Child Development Maneka Gandhi and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, IJU President Amar Devulapalli has reportedly said that the issue had come to light after Anita Shukla, a woman journalist of Navbharat Times, Mumbai had to undergo a lot of hardship in order to find the correct forum to appeal against Navbharat Times’ ICC’s summary decision which exonerated the accused and terminated her contract even before giving her a hearing.
Reportedly, after Shukla had filed a sexual harassment complaint against NT resident editor Sunderchand Thakur on May 12, 2016, the ICC issued a summary inquiry report and terminated her contract on June 6, 2016.
Devulapalli reportedly said in a statement that since there was no provision in the Act for complainants to appeal against the ICC’s decision, Thakur had to approach the Bombay High Court by way of a writ petition. The matter is now pending before the HC.
The IJU statement reportedly said that “the case clearly amplifies that since the Act has come into force, no one knows who or what will act as the court of appeal. Therefore, the IJU urges you to have your Ministry relook at the Act, plug the loophole, and set up designated courts/tribunals to hear the appeals in such cases and direct State governments accordingly”.
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