Parliament Question: Internal Complaints Committees

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WOMEN & CHILD DEVELOPMENT LOK SABHA UN- STARRED QUESTION NO. 4675 TO BE ANSWERED ON 20.03.2026 INTERNAL COMPLAINTS COMMITTEES 4675: MS. S JOTHIMANI:

Will the Minister of WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

(a) the number of Government offices, PSUs, private companies and SMEs that have constituted Internal Complaints Committees (ICCs) as mandated by the POSH Act, 2013, including the penalties imposed on Non-compliant Organizations;

(b) the number of complaints received/resolved along with the measures taken to ensure fair and timely redressal, particularly in high-risk sectors such as manufacturing, IT, media and entertainment since 2019;

(c) whether the Government has collaborated with industrial bodies such as FICCI, CII and ASSOCHAM to improve compliance, provide ICC training and implement standardized best practices for workplace safety, if so, the details thereof;

(d) the number of awareness programmes conducted including the reporting requirements for POSH compliance along with the details of online monitoring system introduced to track ICC effectiveness; and

(e) the details of the initiatives taken to extend POSH protections to gig workers, freelance professionals and women in the unorganized sector along with the safeguards against retaliation to the complainants? ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT (SHRIMATI SAVITRI THAKUR)

(a) ‘The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013’ (SH Act) mandates the Appropriate Government to monitor the implementation of the Act and maintain data on number of cases filed and disposed of under SH Act. It provides for constitution of Internal Committee (IC) where the number of employees is 10 or more and also mandates for constitution of Local Committee (LC) by the District Officer notified under the Act to deal with the cases of workplaces where the number of employees is less than 10 or when the complaint is against the employer itself.As a digital governance initiative by the Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD) launched on August 29, 2024 for effective implementation of the SH Act, the Sexual Harassment Electronic Box (SHe-Box) Portal (https://shebox.wcd.gov.in/) has seen significant onboarding. Till 18.03.2026, 158,981 workplaces have been onboarded including 95,039 government establishments (with PSUs) and 63,942 private establishments (including SMEs) with details of 67,127 Internal Committees (ICs) updated, comprising 40,030 government offices and 27,097 private companies.

(b) SHe-Box Portal is not a mechanism for statutory or regulatory oversight; it is only an IT aid to provide a centralized online system to facilitate dissemination of information about the ICs and LCs constituted at various workplaces so that any aggrieved woman may file complaint in a secure and hassle-free manner and track its progress. However, as mandated under the SH Act, the appropriate Governments are responsible for monitoring the implementation of the Act.

The portal provides options for disposal of complaints in accordance with relevant provisions under the SH Act including Section 12 to 15 and Rules 7 to 10 under SH Rules. Details of complaints registered and disposed on the SHe- Box Portal as on 18.03.2026 and since its launch on 29th August, 2024 are as below:

Workplace/ Sector Complaint received Disposed Central 167 93 State 91 33 Private 70 1 Total 328 127 As per Section 11 (4) of the Act, the IC shall complete the inquiry process within a period of ninety (90) days from the date of receipt of the complaint. To ensure timely disposal within the statutory period of 90 days, on the portal, automated notifications are issued to Nodal Officers and Chairpersons at regular intervals (30, 60, and 90 days). In case of pendency beyond 90 days, freeze messages, SMS, and email alerts are triggered to enforce timely action.

(c) For effective implementation of the Act, Ministry aims to include IC details of workplaces including all sectors across the country whether, Central or State Government departments, Private sector entities or Professional Bodies including all educational/ medical colleges, hospitals etc. on the SHe-box portal.

To streamline implementation across diverse sectors and enhance private sector participation with wider outreach, the Ministry has been engaging with various stakeholder ministries and departments including the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, Ministry of Labour & Employment, Department of Financial Services (DFS), National Medical Commission (NMC), All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), Department of Higher Education and NationalLegal Services Authority (NALSA) along with industrial chambers such as the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM), to discuss the portal’s functionalities and ensure compliance with directives from the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India in the matter of Aureliano Fernandes vs. State of Goa and Ors. (2023).

The Hon’ble Supreme Court, through its orders dated December 3, 2024, August 12, 2025 and January 6, 2026, directed Chief Secretaries to instruct District Officers notified by the Appropriate authorities under the Act, to conduct survey in their jurisdiction with respect to public and private organizations for Internal Committees (ICs) as per section 4 of the Act. The Hon’ble Court further mandated to conduct these surveys with the assistance of Labour Commissioners at both district and state levels and directed States to ensure that all collected data is properly on-boarded onto the SHe-Box portal, thereby strengthening compliance and monitoring of workplaces for constituting Internal Committees.

(d) Section 19(c) of the Act mandates the employers to organise workshops and awareness programmes at regular intervals for sensitising the employees with the provisions of the Act and orientation programmes for the members of the Internal Committee. Further, under Section 24, the appropriate Government may develop relevant information, education, communication and training materials, organise awareness programmes to advance understanding of the public of the provisions of the Act for protection against sexual harassment of women at workplace and also to formulate orientation and training programmes for members of the Local Committee.

Being the Nodal Ministry, to enhance understanding on SHe-Box Portal and address queries or challenges encountered by Government departments at Central, State and district level and also private establishments, the Ministry has been proactively conducting multiple meetings and trainings in hybrid mode. These sessions have been instrumental in facilitating discussions, clarifications, and strategic guidance to expedite the onboarding process on the portal. So far, around 50 physical meetings/ trainings and virtual conferences have been conducted with stakeholders to ensure awareness, sensitisation and compliances as per the Act and updation of necessary details on the portal.

The Government, through institutions like the National Commission for Women (NCW), Savitribai Phule National Institute of Women and Child Development (SPNIWCD) and their counterparts in States and UTs have been spreading awareness through seminars, workshops, audio- visual, print and electronic media etc. to sensitize public and Government and Private sector organizations about the SH Act and SHe-Box portal.

Further, as part of its continuous efforts to expand the reach of the SHe-Box portal and enhance awareness of the SH Act, 2013, the Ministry has integrated the SHe-Box facility on the Mission Shakti mobile application, making it accessible on all Android and iOS devices. This integration has significantly strengthened ease of access for women across diverse sectors, including those in remote and informal workplaces.(e) The SH Act aims to provide a safe and secure working environment for women across all sectors. It covers all women, irrespective of age or employment status and extends its protection to both public and private sector workplaces, organized or unorganized, including domestic workers, gig workers and freelance professionals.

As per the Act, State Governments and Union Territory Administrations, are the implementing authority at State level to strengthen the mechanism available at the grassroots level for creating accessible channels including establishment of a Local Committee (LC) in every district and appointment of Nodal officers at Block/ tehsil level by District Officers, particularly to assist women in the unorganised sector. The Ministry has regularly urged States and UTs to update the details of Local Committees, District Officers and Nodal Officers as mandated under Sections 5 and 6 of the SH Act, accessible to public on the portal.

In addition to digital integration, the Ministry has undertaken sustained awareness-building initiatives. Regular promotional campaigns are being conducted through MWCD’s official social media platforms (such as X, Facebook and Instagram), ensuring wide dissemination of information about the Act and the portal. The portal itself hosts a comprehensive repository of Information, Education and Communication (IEC) materials, including FAQs, creatives, audio-visuals, handbooks and training manuals, which serve as valuable resources for both the public and Local Committees.

In addition, the portal has features to ensure confidentiality of the complainant and protecting personal information throughout the complaint process. The details of a complaint are strictly confidential and are only visible to the presiding officer/ chairperson of the IC or LC, thereby providing a secure environment for women to report incidents without fear of exposure or retaliation.

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