The first meeting of the Group of Ministers (GoM) to look into sexual harassment at workplace is likely to take place next week, according to a senior government official.
The Home Ministry has written to the members of the panel informing them of a meeting on December 10, according to the Ministry of Women and Child Development (WCD). The GoM is headed by Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and WCD Minister Maneka Gandhi.
The Union Cabinet constituted the high-level panel in October days after Minister of State for External Affairs M.J. Akbar was forced to step down following allegations of sexual assault and misconduct against the former editor.
The GoM has been given three months to recommend ways to ensure effective implementation of Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013, as well as to strengthen existing legal framework. By the time the panel meets next week, it would have already lost half of the time granted to it.
Officials of the Ministry of Women and Child Development say that they have already shared the agenda to be placed before the GoM with the Ministry of Home Affairs and suggested a re-look into the law on sexual harassment at workplace so that it can be aligned with Supreme Court’s Vishaka Guidelines.
Maneka Gandhi is the only Union Minister so far who has called for a probe against her then colleague M.J. Akbar. Commenting on a barrage of complaints on social media from women, Ms. Gandhi had said that “cases of sexual harassment at work must be dealt with a policy of zero tolerance.”
