POSH Act as an Extension of Articles 14, 15 and 21 of the Indian Constitution

Abstract

Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 is one of the historic laws of the India in the protection of the right to a safe and dignified working environment by women. The Act provision, are connected with Fundamental Rights, which are secured in the Constitution of India, in particular, Articles 14,15, and 21. These include the constitutional clause that ensures equality before the law and that it forbids any discrimination on the basis of sex, equal right to life and personal liberty which comprise right to live with dignity. The workplace sexual harassment exposes women to such unsafe hostile environment that has a direct relationship on her involvement, equality in professional life. Not only does this violate the personal dignity, but also it disrupts the constitutional pledge of equality and justice. The POSH Act gives a hierarchical legal framework to combat this problem, through the implementation of preventive and remedial actions in the workplace. It renders it mandatory to each employer to establish Internal Committees at the workplace and disseminate the information about workplace safety and have an effective grievance redressal system to those who are victims. These mechanisms were instruments of making constitutional doctrines of rights to women operational in the POSH act. It empowers the reshapes the structure of gender justice and advances the workplace culture that is founded on the respect based on respect, equality and dignity. Thus, the Act may be interpreted as a valuable extension and provision of Articles 14, 15, and 21 of the Constitution of India.