No female cop in Rly Police to oversee sexual harassment cases

Mumbai, Feb 7 (PTI) The Railway police today informed theBombay High Court that it has not been able to formulate acommittee to look into complaints of sexual harassment atworkplace as it does not have a lady Deputy Commissioner ofPolice (DCP) to head the committee.

The HC was hearing a petition filed by a lady policeconstable, a victim of sexual harassment at workplace by acolleague, seeking formulation of a complaint cell to lookinto such complaints.

Appearing for the police, public prosecutor P A Pol toldthe court, "A proposal has been sent to the Director Generalof Police seeking appointment of a lady officer withing twoweeks. Once the appointment is made, the committee would beconstituted."

The petitioner, who is presently serving as a constablein the Government Railway Police (GRP), was allegedly molestedby another constable when she was changing her clothes insidethe police station in August last year.

"There is no complaint centre in the police department tolook into complaints of sexual harassment at workplace.

Moreover, the government has also not adopted the guidelinesformed by the apex court," the petitioner''s lawyer GunratanSadavarte argued.

The matter will be next heard after two weeks.