The Madras High Court has emphasised that the Centre as well as the State government are bound to monitor the implementation of the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act of 2013 and maintain data regarding the number of complaints filed and disposed of.
First Division Bench of Chief Justice Sanjay V. Gangapurwala and Justice J. Sathya Narayana Prasad pointed out that Section 23 of the Act imposes such an obligation on the Centre with respect to workplaces owned, financed or controlled by it and on the State government with respect to all other workplaces.
“The appropriate government is bound to adhere to the mandate of the law. In case dereliction is found, then certainly the aggrieved person can make a complaint to the appropriate authority and seek redressal against it,” the Division Bench observed while disposing of a public interest litigation petition.
