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Bill to amend sexual harassment at workplace sent to GoM

With a number of ministers raising eyebrows over certain provisions, the amendments to the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Bill failed to get the Union Cabinet's nod.

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With a number of ministers raising eyebrows over certain provisions, the amendments to the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Bill failed to get the Union Cabinet's nod on Thursday.

Sources said the bill has, therefor, been referred to a Group of Ministers headed Home Minister P Chidambaram. HRD Minister Kapil Sibal and Women and Child Development Minister Krishna Tirath are other members of the GoM that will examine the issue.

As the bill proposes to bring domestic helps and workers under the ambit of the legislation, it is expected to provide speedy redressal to about 47.5 lakh women registered as domestic helps and workers in case of sexual harassment.

A senior minister, speaking on condition of anonymity, said "some more discussion is needed on the bill. You cannot have it completely one-sided".

Sources said the main objection of the members was that bill is loaded in favour of the complainant and the burden of proving innocence is on the employers, which could encourage false complaints.

Union Ministers P Chidambaram, Sharad Pawar, Kapil Sibal and a few others spoke on the issue advocating caution.

The bill aims at ensuring a safe environment for women at workplace, be it public or private, organised or unorganised sector.

It provides protection not only to women who are employed but also to those who enter the workplace as a client, customer, apprentice, daily wage worker or in ad-hoc capacity. Students, research scholars in colleges and universities and patients in hospitals have also been covered in the bill.

The amendments are based on the recommendations given by a parliamentary standing committee. The Women and Child Development Ministry has, however, not accepted the committee's recommendation to include male workers under the ambit of the legislation.

 

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