- (1.) UPON hearing counsel the Court made the following
(2.) Several petitions had been filed before this Court by Women Organisations and on the basis of the note prepared by the Registrar General that in respect of sexual harassment cases the Complaints Committees were not formed in accordance with the guidelines issued by this Court in Vishaka v. State of Rajasthan, 1997 6 SCC 241 and that these petitions fell under clause (6) of the PIL Guidelines given by this Court i.e. " Atrocities on Women" and in any event the Guidelines set out in Vishaka were not being followed. Thereupon, this Court treated the petitions as writ petitions filed in public interest.
(3.) Notice had been issued to several parties including the Governments concerned and on getting appropriate responses from them and now after hearing learned Attorney General for UOI and learned counsel, we direct as follows: " Complaints Committee as envisaged by the Supreme Court in its judgment in Vishaka, 1997 6 SCC 241 , will be deemed to be an inquiry authority for the purposes of Central Civil Services(Conduct) Rules, 1964(hereinafter called CCS Rules) and the report of the complaints Committee shall be deemed to be an inquiry report under the CCS rules. Thereafter the disciplinary authority will act on the report in accordance with the rules.";