Effectiveness Of Internal Committees Under The Sexual Harassment Of Women At Workplace Act 2013: A Legal And Organizational Analysis

Abstract

The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace Act 2013 (hereinafter as POSH Act) was enacted as a response to the Vishaka Guidelines laid down by the Supreme Court of India in 1997[1]. It recognizes sexual harassment as a violation of a woman's fundamental right to equality under Articles 14, 15, and 21 of the Indian Constitution. The POSH Act marked a watershed moment by institutionalising the Internal Committee as the primary redressal body within every workplace employing more than ten people. However, a decade into its implementation, a disjuncture persists between the legislative framework and organizational adherence. This paper begins by contextualizing the legal and policy foundations of Internal Committee (hereinafter as ICs) and then presents a structured evaluation of their performance through legal, procedural, and organizational metrics.