A complete, simple guide to the POSH Act in India explaining what sexual harassment is, how the Internal Committee (IC) works, how to file a complaint, and how every worker is legally protected at work.
Every employee in India — whether working in an office, a factory, a hospital, a shop, or a security post — has a fundamental legal right to work in a safe, respectful, and dignified environment. In India, the law that protects all workers from unwanted sexual behavior at work is called the POSH Act ( Prevention of Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace Act, 2013 ). This guide explains POSH in clear, simple terms so that every employee, manager, security guard, and contract worker understands its historical origin, what is allowed, what is forbidden, and how to get help if an incident occurs. Part 1: The History & Legal Evolution of POSH in India The POSH Act did not happen overnight. It was born out of a courageous social struggle and landmark Supreme Court rulings spanning over two decades: 1. The Bhanwari Devi Case (1992) In 1992, Bhanwari Devi , a grass-roots social worker (Saathin) in Rajasthan, was brutally assaulted while doing her job of stopping a child marriage. When she sought justice, she faced severe societal backlash and systemic hurdles because India had no specific workplace safety laws for women at the time. 2. The Supreme Court Vishaka Guidelines (1997) Outraged by the incident, a group of women's rights organizations filed a public interest litigation (PIL) in the Supreme Court of India under the collective name "Vishaka" . In 1997, the Supreme Court, led by Chief Justice J.S. Verma, passed a historic judgment ruling that workplace sexual harassment is a direct violation of fundamental rights under the Constitution of India: Article 14: Right to Equality. Article 19(1)(g): Right to practice any profession and work without fear. Article 21: Right to Life, Dignity, and Personal Liberty. The Supreme Court created binding rules called the Vishaka Guidelines , making it mandatory for all employers in India to establish complaint mechanisms at workplaces. 3. Enactment of the POSH Act (December 2013) Sixteen years after the Vishaka judgment, the Parliam...