The Centre today asked all the ministries and departments under it to ensure that they always have in place a committee on prevention of sexual harassment and also publish information regarding the filing and disposal of such cases in their annual reports.
According to the rules, a complaints committee has to be in existence at all times within government departments and changes in its composition, whenever necessary, should be made promptly and adequately publicised.
The composition of the complaints committee should also be posted on the websites of the ministries or departments concerned.
"All ministries or departments are requested to please review the progress of implementation of the existing guidelines issued in the aftermath of the Vishakha judgement," said an order issued today by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT).
They have also been asked to include information relating to the number of cases filed and disposed of in their annual reports.
DoPT has also sent a proforma for the ministries to report sexual harassment cases. The form seeks information on the number of sexual harassment complaints received and disposed of in the year, nature of action and number of cases pending for more than 90 days.
The ministries or departments should also give the details on the number of workshops held during a given year as part of awareness programmes against sexual harassment, the proforma says.
The ministries and departments were requested to furnish the annual return (as on March 31) in the proforma to the DoPT by April 30 of every year.
As per the recently modified guidelines, humiliating treatment which is likely to affect women government employees' health or safety may also amount to sexual harassment.
As per the new definition under the Central Civil Services (Conduct) Rules, 1964, sexual harassment includes physical contact and advances, a demand or request for sexual favours, making sexually-coloured remarks, showing pornography and any other unwelcome physical, verbal or non-verbal conduct of a sexual nature.
