Supreme Court Refuses To Include Retaliation Or Victimisation Of The Complainant Or Witnesses As A Facet Of Sexual Harassment Under The POSH Act

The Supreme Court[1], while refusing to entertain a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking issuance of directions to protect complainants/witnesses/other persons in cases of complaints of sexual harassment from acts of retaliation/victimization by the accused persons or concerned organizations, observed that such general order would create a new offence under the POSH Act. The court
remarked that the petitioner had to show specific instances where complainants/witnesses/other persons in cases of complaints of sexual harassment were being harmed by acts of retaliation/victimization by the accused persons. 

[1] Writ Petition(s)(Civil) No(s). 644/2023