Committee set up to enquire, dispose of sexual harassment complaints of female officers

Srinagar, Dec 13 : The Jammu and Kashmir government on Tuesday set up an internal complaint committee to enquire and dispose of sexual harassment complaints against female officers of JKAS, J&K Secretariat Service-I and Service-II.

According to an order, a copy of which lies with the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), the committee comprises of 5 members commissioner secretary to government, department of Rural Development and Panchayat Raj.

“In terms of Section 4(1) of the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013, sanction is hereby accorded to constitution of Internal Complaint Committee to enquire and dispose of the complaints, if any, of sexual harassment against female members of Jammu and Kashmir Administrative Service (JKAS), J&K Secretariat (Gazetted) Service-I and J&K Secretariat (Gazetted) Service-II under Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013,” reads the orders.

As per the order the committee comprises of Mandeep Kaur, IAS, Commissioner/ Secretary to Presiding the Government, Department of Rural Development Officer and Panchayati Raj, Rehana Batul, IAS, Secretary, Public Grievances, Parveen Kumar, JKAS, Additional Secretary to the Government, Home Department, Representative of an NGO to be nominated by Social Welfare Department and any other person co-opted by Presiding Officer Member—(KNO)