Delhi High Court Judge Calls for Expanding Sexual Harassment Laws to Protect Men and Other Genders

Justice Prathiba M Singh of the Delhi High Court has called for stronger legal provisions to protect not only women but also men and other genders from sexual harassment. Speaking in an exclusive interview with NDTV, she highlighted the need for more inclusive laws, faster case processing, and improved mechanisms under the POSH Act (Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace – Prevention, Prohibition, and Redressal Act, 2013).

Justice Singh pointed out that the current law focuses solely on protecting women, leaving men and other genders without similar safeguards. She emphasized the importance of updating the legislation to ensure comprehensive protection for all.

She also expressed concerns about the lengthy duration of sexual harassment cases, which can take up to 10-15 years to resolve. This delay, she noted, creates significant difficulties for both complainants and the accused. To address this, she suggested faster processing and disposal of cases under the POSH Act.

Justice Singh highlighted challenges faced by Internal Complaint Committees (ICCs) in organizations, pointing out that coordinating meetings among members with different schedules often leads to delays. She recommended reducing the number of members in ICCs and introducing a two-layered filtering system to ensure efficient handling of complaints. According to her proposal, cases could be closed at the company level if no evidence is found, or escalated to a higher authority if necessary.

Reflecting on her experiences, Justice Singh stressed the need for gender-sensitive training to prevent avoidable situations. She argued that expanding the POSH Act to cover men and other genders would create a more balanced and just workplace environment.

Before her judicial career, Justice Singh was a prominent intellectual property lawyer known for her expertise in patents, trademarks, and copyright laws. In 2022, she became the first Indian judge to be honored as a Fellow of Hughes Hall at the University of Cambridge.

Her call for change marks a significant step towards more inclusive and effective laws against sexual harassment, ensuring safety and dignity for all individuals in the workplace.

News Source : “Information for this article was gathered from a variety of reliable news outlets.”