ANTI-SEXUAL HARASSMENT COMITTEE

With regard to the Supreme Court Judgement and guidelines issued in 1997 to provide for the effective enforcement of the basic human right of gender equality and guarantee against sexual harassment and abuse, more particularly against sexual harassment at work places, the University Granst Commission (UGC) has issued circulars since 1998, to all the universities, advising them to establish a permanent cell and a committee; to develop guidelines to combat sexual harassment, violence against women and ragging at the universities and colleges. Keeping the above guidelines in view Mahesh Institute Of Professional Studies,Barmer has constituted a Committee against Sexual Harassment.

The Supreme Court of India, in a landmark judgment in August 1997 (Vishaka & other vs. the State of Rajasthan & others) stated that every instance of sexual harassment is a violation of “Fundamental Rights” under Articles 14, 15 and 21 of the Constitution o India, and amounts to a violation of the “Right to Freedom” under Article 19(1)(g). Another Supreme Court Judgment in January 1999 (Apparel Export Promotion Council vs. Chopra) has stated that sexually harassing behaviour “needs to be eliminated as there is no compromise on such violations”. The Supreme Court further reiterated that sexual harassment “is a violation of the fundamental right to gender equality and the right to life and liberty”.

(Dr. Hari Singh Bhati)
Principal