Kerala High Court Advocates’ Association Forms Internal Complaints Committee to Address Sexual Harassment Among Women Lawyers
Safiya Malik
The Kerala High Court Advocates’ Association (KHCAA) has established an Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) to address cases of sexual harassment faced by women advocates. The decision to form the committee was taken during the General Body Meeting of KHCAA on January 21, 2025. While the association does not legally qualify as an employer under the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition, and Redressal) Act, 2013 (POSH Act), it has voluntarily constituted the ICC to provide a structured redressal mechanism for its women members.
The committee has been modeled in accordance with Section 4 of the POSH Act, ensuring a formalized and transparent approach to handling complaints. The ICC will be presided over by the Lady Vice President of KHCAA and will include two female members, one male member from the Executive Committee, and a woman representative from an NGO or an organization dedicated to women’s rights, who will be co-opted when required.
The formation of the ICC comes amid growing concerns regarding the absence of a statutory redressal mechanism for women advocates who are not covered under the POSH Act due to the association’s non-employer status. The KHCAA, acknowledging this gap, decided to establish an internal system to enable women lawyers to report and seek redressal for grievances related to workplace harassment.
The Secretary of KHCAA, M.R. Nandakumar, issued an official release stating that "KHCAA does not qualify as an ‘employer’ under the POSH Act, and there is no statutory requirement to have such a committee for our members. However, concerns regarding sexual harassment of women in workplaces continue to rise. For our lady members, there is no dedicated platform available to voice grievances. The safety of our women members is of paramount importance, and hence, the formation of an internal complaints committee is a step in the right direction for inquiring into such incidents, rendering legal assistance, and ensuring justice."
The ICC is expected to function as a confidential and impartial redressal forum, ensuring that complaints are handled with due diligence and fairness. The structure of the committee is in line with the mandates outlined in Section 4 of the POSH Act, reinforcing procedural safeguards for complainants.
The ICC will be chaired by Advocate Rema R., the Lady Vice President of KHCAA, with Advocates K.A.M. Haris, Asha Treesa Jose, and Reni James serving as members. A female representative from an NGO or women’s rights group will be co-opted during complaint proceedings. The committee is authorized to receive complaints, conduct inquiries, and facilitate legal assistance for affected members. “The structure… will be presided by the Lady Vice President and consist of two lady members and a male member of the Executive Committee. Apart from this, a lady member from an NGO or associations committed to the cause of women will be included as and when such complaints are received,” the release clarified.
