Call for POSH Act Extension to Safeguard Women in Politics

The Women and Child Development (WCD) Ministry provided an indirect response on Wednesday to MP Swati Maliwal's query in the Rajya Sabha about whether laws concerning sexual harassment at the workplace apply to women in political parties. The Minister emphasized the inclusive nature of existing laws but did not directly answer the foundational concern.

Swati Maliwal, an MP and former chief of Delhi Commission for Women, questioned if political parties had been consulted about extending protection mechanisms under the POSH Act, 2013, due to the absence of Internal Complaints Committees in these parties. Her question aimed to highlight vulnerabilities women face in political settings despite not being classified as 'employees'.

In her response, Minister Annpurna Devi outlined the law's extensive coverage, pointing out its application to both public and private workplaces, including domestic workers. She referenced legal judgments indicating that political parties may not be legally bound to form such committees, thus leaving room for future legislative or administrative actions to address these gaps.