The Press Council of India (PCI) has asked all media organisations to set up internal committees to prevent and redress cases of sexual harassment of women at workplace.
The direction for setting up internal complaints’ committee came in the backdrop of sexual harassment charges against Tehelka Editor Tarun Tejpal by a journalist.
In a statement, PCI Chairperson Justice (retd) Markandey Katju said that despite Vishakha guidelines having been framed by Supreme Court long back in 1997 and the enactment of Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013, many media organisations did not have an internal complaints committee.
He said that section 4(1) of the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace Act made setting up of these committees mandatory.
Such establishments become even more meaningful in media organisations where women journalists adhere to non-conventional working hours and duty places, Katju said and requested media organisations to set up internal complaints committees.