The Madras High Court is set to pass interim orders on the 26th of April, 2023. Prior to that, the counsel appearing for the students has questioned the integrity of the new and reconstituted Internal Complaints Committee (ICC). This was seen in the case of XYZ and Ors. v. Kalakshetra Foundation and Ors. (WP 11764 of 2023) and the case was presided over by The Honourable Mr. Justice M. Dhandapani
FACTS OF THE CASE:
The petitioners, of the case are the students of Rukmini Devi College of Fine Arts, a college functioning under the Kalakshetra Foundation. They filed a complaint against a faculty member for sexual harassment of the students on multiple occasions. Thus, they have failed to comply with Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act of 2012, Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act of 2013 and Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Harassment of Woman Act, 1998. The staff has been arrested. The court is yet to pass a judgement.
Order:
The court had passed an ordered to reconstitute the Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) to protect the interests of the students from any predicaments. The court also granted the interim prayer of the petitioners to stay anonymous. The counsel for the petitioner has now however voiced that the reconstituted ICC under Rtd. Justice Kannan defeats the purpose of a reconstituted complaints committee as it also includes members like Revathi Ramachandran nor the previous members of the ICC who are also involved in the case for their lack of responsibility.
The case will now be decided on the 26th of April, 2023.
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JUDGEMENT REVIEWED BY SWETA SHOUMYA
