Women's commission calls for mandatory POSH audits in workplaces across Maharashtra

Expressing concern over the ineffective implementation of the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013, commonly known as the POSH Act, the Maharashtra State Women's Commission has proposed that POSH audits should be mandatory in all offices. In a video message on X, the commission's chairperson Rupali Chakankar said she observed during her recent state-wide visits that while Internal Complaints Committees (ICCs) have been constituted in many workplaces as mandated by the law, they often exist only on paper. ''There is a serious lack of awareness among committee members about their rights, responsibilities, and the legal framework, leaving women employees feeling unsafe despite the existence of these committees,'' she said.

To address these concerns, the commission has submitted a proposal to the Minister for Women and Child Development, demanding the issuance of a government resolution (GR) mandating regular audits of POSH compliance, Chakankar said.

''A POSH audit should be treated with the same importance as a financial or fire safety audit,'' she said, adding, ''Such audits would ensure that workplaces are not only legally compliant but also provide a genuinely safe environment for women employees.''

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