Internal Complaints Committee

The sexual harassment of women at workplace (prevention, prohibition and redressal) act 2013 is an act to provide protection against sexual harassment of women at work place. Sexual harassment results in the violation of basic fundamental rights of women such as right to equality under article 14, 15 and her right to life and lives with dignity under article 21 of the constitution of India.

Definition of Sexual Harassment:

Sexual harassment includes any one or more of the following unwelcome acts or behavior

  • Physical contact and advances
  • A demand or request for sexual favors
  • Making sexually colored remarks
  • Showing pornography
  • Any unwelcome messages through telephone or internet

Structure of ICC

The office bearers of ICC shall be functioning not more than 3 years. After the tenure a new body shall be elected. The ICC shall be containing the following designations:

  1. One Preceding officer (women, employed at a senior level)
  2. At least two members (who are committed to the cause of women and have had experience in social work or have legal knowledge.)
  3. One member from NGO (which is associated for women welfare.)

Functions :

The Internal Complaints Committee has two major functions :

  1. Preventive
  2. Remedial

Preventive

  • To work towards creating an atmosphere promoting equality, non-discrimination andgender sensitivity.
  • To promote and facilitate measures to create a work environment that is free of sexual harassment remedial
  • To receive and take cognizance of complaints made about sexual harassment at the university and give every complaint serious consideration.
  • Crisis Management, Mediation and Counselling
  • To conduct enquiries into the complaints, place findings and recommendations regarding penalties against the harasser.

Rules and Procedures:

  • All meetings of the Committee will be called by the Chairperson and a notice of at least 5
  • Working days must be given for the meeting while in exceptional cases an emergency meeting may be convened as per the requirement.
  • No person who is a complainant, witness, or defendant in the complaint of sexual harassment shall be a member of the Committee.
  • Any Committee member charged with sexual harassment in a written complaint must step down as member during the enquiry into that complaint.
  • If the ICC decides not to conduct an enquiry into a complaint, it shall record the reasons for the same in the minutes of the Committee meeting. The Committee shall make the same available to the complainant in writing. 
  • Within not more than five working days on the receipt of the first intimation of the enquiry, the complainant and the defendant shall submit, to the Convenor of the committee in writing, a list of witnesses, together with their contact details, that she desires the Committee to examine. 
  • The Committee shall have the power to summon any official papers or documents pertaining to the complaint under enquiry.
  • The Committee may consider as relevant any earlier complaints against the defendant.
  • However, the past sexual history of the complainant shall not be probed into as such information shall be deemed irrelevant to a complaint of sexual harassment.
  • The Committee shall have the right to summon, as many times as required, the defendant, complainant and/or any witnesses for the purpose of supplementary testimony and/or clarifications.

 

INTERNAL COMPLAINTS COMMITTEE

Dr.D.Lakshmi                                    Principal/ Preceeding officer/Chair Person

Dr.K.Naganandhi                               Associate Professor and Head – Member

Dr.P.Enola Arutchelvi Parvatha            Associate Professor and Head – Member

Dr. K.M.Sumathi                                Assistant Professor– Member

Dr.S.Rajammal                                  Assistant   Professor– Member

Dr.P.Karthiyayini                                Assistant Professor– Member

Dr.R.Vahitha                                      Assistant Professor– Member

 

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