189 ORDINANCE ON PREVENTION OF SEXUAL HARASSMENT.
(Approved by the Executive Council in its 3rd meeting held on 12.1.2009 vide Agenda Item No.8).
190 ORDINANCE ON PREVENTION OF SEXUAL HARASSMENT.
1. Definition “Sexual Harassment” includes such unwelcome sexually determined behaviour (whether directly or by implication) as
(a) Sexually offensive physical contact or advances;
(b) A demand or request for sexual favours.
(c) Sexually colored remarks;
(d) Showing Pornography; and
(e) any other unwelcome physical, verbal or non-verbal conduct of sexual nature.
Sexual harassment also includes unwelcome:
Loaded comments having sexually offensive connotations.
Remarks or jokes having sexually offensive connotations;
Obscene, e-mails or phone calls having sexually offensive connotations Sexual physical gestures, lewd stares;
Physical contact having sexually offensive connotations and stalking;
Exhibition of pornography;
Making of sounds having sexually offensive connotations;
Playing of music or songs having sexually offensive connotations.
Relating sexually explicit anecdotes;
Threat to take vindictive action for denial of sexual favours;
Singing lewd songs;
Any act or behaviour that is sexual, based on sex or on sexual orientation, towards a person, that has the aim or affect of compromising that person’s right to dignity, equality in employment, and to working conditions that are respectful of that person’s dignity, their moral or physical integrity, their right to receive ordinary services offered to the public in full equality.
The act or behaviour can notably take the form of: pressure (pressions), insults, remarks, jokes based on sex, touching, assault, all sexual exhibitionism, all unwelcome implicit or explicit sexual solicitations, all threats or all sexual blackmail.
191 Any pressure, constraint of sexual nature carried out through words, gestures, threats, promises, writing, drawings, sending of objects, all sexually discriminatory remarks, targeting a person during a hire or while conducting his professional activity.
Any behaviour is unacceptable if
(a) Such conduct is unwanted, unreasonable and offensive to the recipient
(b) A person’s rejection of, or submission to, such conduct on the part of employers or workers (including superiors or colleagues) is used explicitly or implicitly as a basis for a decision which affects that person’s access to vocational training, access to employment, continued employment, promotion, salary or any other employment decisions; and /or
(c) Such conduct creates an intimidating, hostile or humiliating work environment for the recipient; and that such conduct may, in certain circumstances, be contrary to the principles of equal treatment within the meaning of Articles 14, 15, 16 and 21 of the Constitution of India.
Act or conduct creating sexually hostile and intimidating environment.
2. Who Can Make a Complaint?
(a) A person who is –
(i) A student of this University/ affiliated colleges/ institutions;
(ii) An employee in this University/ affiliated colleges/ institutions;
(iii) A member of the staff of this University or Affiliated colleges/institutions;
Subject to the condition that :
Where a complaint instituted before the Complaints Committee is found to be frivolous or vexatious, the Committee shall, for reasons to be recorded in writing, dismiss the complaint and make an order that the complainant shall pay a fine of minimum Rs.5000/- (five thousand rupees).
3. The Complaint Committee There shall be a ‘University Complaint Committee’ and a ‘College/Institute Complaint Committee’.
(i) University Complaint Committee:
The University Complaints Committee shall be constituted by the Vice-Chancellor, comprising of 5 members including Chairperson. At least half of the 192 members of the Committee shall be women. The Chairperson of the Complaints Committee will be nominated by the Vice-Chancellor and shall be a woman. Committee may have co-opted members in addition to above. Three members shall form the quorum.
(ii) College/ Institute Complaint Committee:
The College/ Institute Complaint Committee shall be constituted by the Principal/ Director of the college/ institute, comprising of 3 members including Chairperson. At least two members of the Committee shall be women. The Chairperson of the College/ Institute Complaint Committee shall be nominated by the Director / Principal and shall be a woman. Presence of all members in the meeting shall be essential.
4. Eligibility for Membership of the Committee
(i) University Complaint Committee:
A person employed as Senior Professor or Professor or in an equivalent grade in the University shall be appointed as Members of the Committee.
In appointing members, the Vice-Chancellor may take into account the seniority, ability and background of the member.
(ii) College/ Institute Complaint Committee:
A person employed as a teacher or in equivalent grade shall be appointed as members of the Committee, taking into consideration their seniority, ability and background.
The Committees as (i) and (ii) above, may co-opt as many members as are necessary to make an informed, reasonable and expeditious decision. Students, Staff, NGO’s or other relevant persons can be co-opted as members.
5. Jurisdiction All members of staff; teaching or non-teaching and all students whether studying in the Pandit Bhagwat Dayal Sharma University of Health Sciences Campus or in any affiliated college are subject to the jurisdiction of this ordinance.
The territorial jurisdiction of the University Complaints Committee shall extend to acts of sexual harassment committed in the Pandit Bhagwat Dayal Sharma University of Health Sciences Campus, while that of Institute Complaint Committee to the Institute campus.
The campus shall also include hostels, guesthouses, car parks and other properties owned, maintained or under the control of the University/ institute.
In the case of sexual harassment of a third person by a student or staff of this University or of any affiliated college or institution, the 193 Complaints Committee may in its discretion provide information regarding the student or staff to facilitate a proper determination of the third person’s complaint.
6. Conducting Enquiry by the Compliant Committee
(i) Any person aggrieved shall prefer a complaint before the Complaints Committee at the earliest point of time and in any case within 15 days from the date of occurrence of the alleged incident.
(ii) The complaint shall contain all the material and relevant details concerning the alleged sexual harassment including the names of the contravenor and the complaint shall be addressed to the Complaints Committee
(iii) If the complainant feels that she cannot disclose her identity for any particular reason the complainant shall address the complaint to the Vice Chancellor / Director or Principal of the concerned college/ institute and hand over the same in person or in a sealed cover. Upon receipt of such complaint the Vice Chancellor / Director or Principal of the concerned college/ institute shall retain the original complaint with himself and send to the Complaints Committee a gist of the complaint containing all material and relevant details, other than the name of the complainant and other details, which might disclose the identity of the complainant.
(iv) The Complaints Committee shall take immediate necessary action to cause an enquiry to be made discreetly or hold an enquiry, if necessary.
(v) The Complaints Committee shall after examination of the complaint submit its recommendations to the Vice Chancellor/ Director or Principal of the concerned college/ institute recommending the penalty to be imposed.
(vi) Vice Chancellor / Director or Principal of the concerned college/ institute upon receipt of the report from the Complaints Committee shall after giving an opportunity of being heard to the persons complained against, confirm with or without modification the penalty recommended after duly following the prescribed procedure
(vii) In cases, pertaining to the officer holding the posts of Asstt.
Registrar / Teachers or above, the case shall be submitted to the Executive Council/Governing body of the college, which shall with or without modification confirm the penalty recommended, after duly following the prescribed procedure.
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7. Disciplinary Action Where the conduct of an employee amounts to misconduct in employment as defined in the conduct rules, appropriate disciplinary action in accordance with the relevant rules shall be initiated.
In the case of an employee of an affiliated institution, the matter will be referred to the management of the institution for appropriate disciplinary action.
Where the conduct of a student amount to misconduct, appropriate disciplinary action in accordance with the relevant ordinance on ‘Maintenance of discipline amongst students’ shall be initiated by the competent authority.
8. Third Party harassment Where sexual harassment occurs as a result of an act or omission by any third party or outsider, the employer and the persons Incharge shall take all steps necessary and reasonable to assist the affected persons in terms of support and preventive action.
9. Annual Report The Complaints Committees shall prepare an Annual Report giving full accounts of its activities during the previous year and forward a copy thereof to the Vice Chancellor who shall in turn put up report to the Executive Council.
10. Saving Nothing contained in this code shall prejudice any rights available to the employee or prevent any person from seeking any legal remedy under the National Commission for Woman Act 1990, Protection of Human Rights Commission Act 1993 or under any other law for the time being in force.
Where such conduct amounts to a specific offence under the Indian Penal Code or under any other law, the University shall initiate appropriate action in accordance with law by making a complaint with the appropriate authority.
In particular, it should ensure that victims or witnesses are not victimized or discriminated against while dealing with complaints of sexual harassments. The victims of sexual harassments should have the option to seek transfer of the perpetrator or their own transfer.