Supreme Court Orders Sexual Harassment Allegations to Haunt University's VC

In a landmark decision, the Supreme Court has mandated that a verdict outlining allegations of sexual harassment against a university's vice-chancellor must become a permanent part of his professional record. The court aims for the decision to serve as a constant reminder of the allegations, although the complaint itself was considered time-barred.

The ruling came after a West Bengal university faculty member's complaint against the vice-chancellor was ultimately dismissed as it exceeded the permissible time limit for filing. Despite this, the Supreme Court emphasized the importance of remembering the wrongdoing, even if the wrongdoer is forgiven.

The complaint, filed in December 2023, was originally rejected for being outside the limitation period. The case reached the high court, where the initial dismissal was overturned but later reinstated by the division bench. Administrative actions post-April 2023 were not considered personal acts of the VC, further influencing the final judgment.

(With inputs from agencies.)