PoSH Law India Update - June '26 Edition

Dive into the key ruling and legal updates in the June '26 edition of PoSH Law India update.

1. Defining the Workplace: Bombay High Court Revisits PoSH Applicability

In Siddhesh Pradeep Satpute v. State Bank of India (W.P. No. 1213 of 2024), a bank employee challenged the findings of the Internal Committee (IC), which had held him guilty of sexual harassment at workplace based on an alleged incident.

The issue arose when he and a female colleague were travelling in a shared autorickshaw from Kurla Railway Station to their workplace. The autorickshaw was a public mode of transport and was not arranged by the employer.

The Bombay High Court set aside the IC’s findings, holding that a shared autorickshaw used for commuting does not qualify as a “workplace” under Section 2(o) of the PoSH Act unless the transportation is provided by the employer. The Court clarified that while the allegations themselves were not being examined, the IC lacked jurisdiction to inquire into the complaint under the PoSH Act.

2. "Director Not Automatically ‘Employer,’ IC Can Inquire Into Complaint”- Kerala High Court

In the case of Prof. (Dr.) J. Sundaresan Pillai v. Dr. K.K. Seethalakshmi & Ors, W.P.(C)No. 7354 of 2025, Prof. Pillai, a retired Senior Principal Scientist of CSIR, was serving as a Director of the Integrated Rural Technology Centre (IRTC), Kerala, when a woman employee filed a sexual harassment complaint against him. He challenged the IC’s jurisdiction, claiming his designation as Director made him the “employer” under Section 2(g) of the PoSH Act, meaning the complaint could only go to the Local Committee, not the IC.

The issue before the Court was whether the appellant was an 'employee' or an 'employer' under the PoSH Act?

The Division Bench found that since the ultimate authority over IRTC’s affairs vested with its General Body and Executive Committee, and Pillai himself was appointed by and functioned under that Committee, he could not claim “employer” status. The IC had full jurisdiction to proceed.

3. "PoSH Conciliation does not end Employer's Disciplinary Powers"- Guwahati High Court

In the case of Airports Authority of India & Ors. vs. Praveen V.S. (WA 149 of 2025), an Assistant Manager of the Airports Authority of India filed a sexual harassment complaint against her senior. In order to maintain professional decorum, both parties agrreed to a mutual conciliation. Complainant later submitted some new evidences which reopened the inquiry.

The issue before the Guwahati High Court was, whether a Conciliation settlement under Section 10 of the PoSH Act completely bars an employer from initiating independent disciplinary proceedings?

The Court held that Section 10(4) of the PoSH Act bars the IC from conducting further inquiries, but it does not restrict an employer to initiate an independent disciplinary proceedings based on standard service rules.

4. Government Unveils SHe-Box 2.0 with Enhanced PoSH Compliance Feature

The Ministry of Women and Child Development launched SHe-Box 2.0 under Mission Shakti, a Central Government’s flagship programme for women’s safety and empowerment, it replaces the earlier portal and makes it mandatory for employers with 10 or more employees to register their organization and IC directly on the platform. SHe-Box is a single window access system for women to submit their complaints online which was launched in August 2024. The earlier portal was mainly for online complaints, while the revamped version aims to strengthen institutional accountability and transparency. It also enables seamless coordination between employers, IC, Local Committee, and government authorities. Key enhancements include the creation of a national repository of Internal Committees (ICs), integration of Local Committees, onboarding of State and District Nodal Officers for oversight, and multilingual accessibility in 22 Indian languages. 

5. Maharashtra Makes PoSH Compliance Mandatory in Annual Audits of Private Firms

In the light of the nationwide advisory issued by the National Commission for Women (NCW) directing all states and Union Territories to strengthen implementation of the PoSH Act, Maharashtra government has decided to make compliance checks mandatory during annual audits and inspections of private companies and establishments. The state's decision was taken on 26th June,2026 at a joint meeting of the Women and Child Development (WCD) and labour departments, chaired by WCD minister Aditi Tatkare, to review implementation of the Act in the private sector. Government will also make sure that all new private establishments, as well as the existing establishments applying for renewal, must constitute an Internal Committee (IC). To strengthen enforcement, government has even authorised 12 officers as inspection officers under the Act to monitor compliance and ensure establishments under the Act.

The move aims to strengthen accountability, improve workplace safety for women, and ensure that PoSH compliance becomes a regular governance requirement rather than a one-time legal formality.