Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013

The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013

The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 (commonly referred to as the POSH Act) is India's primary legislation for safeguarding women against workplace sexual harassment and upholding constitutional guarantees of gender equality and dignity under Articles 14, 19, and 21. Enacted pursuant to the Supreme Court's landmark Vishaka v. State of Rajasthan guidelines, the Act mandates the establishment of an Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) in every workplace employing 10 or more individuals, and a Local Complaints Committee (LCC) at the district level for the unorganized sector or smaller establishments. It prescribes a structured 90-day inquiry mechanism, conciliation provisions, strict workplace confidentiality, interim relief measures, and penalties including license cancellation for non-compliant employers.