01
Fewer than ten workers
Smaller establishment
Where an IC has not been constituted because the establishment has fewer than ten workers, Section 6 identifies the LC route.
District-level redressal
Local Committee: understand the district-level statutory route.
The Local Committee is a statutory district-level mechanism under the POSH Act. Its jurisdiction matters particularly for smaller establishments and complaints against the employer.
Institution
District-level committee
Jurisdiction
Section 6 situations
Digital route
SHe-Box is separate
Immediate answer
Statutory wording, official Government process information and PIH explanation are labelled separately.
LAWPIH EXPLANATION
Section 6 identifies Local Committee jurisdiction for establishments where an IC has not been constituted because the establishment has fewer than ten workers, and for complaints against the employer. It is not an automatic label for every missing-IC case.
Section 6 jurisdiction
The LC is not a fallback label for every missing IC.
Section 6 requires a District Officer to constitute an LC in the district. It identifies complaints from establishments where an IC has not been constituted due to having fewer than ten workers, and complaints against the employer. A 10+ workplace that lacks an IC should not be silently treated as a sub-10 establishment.
LAWPIH EXPLANATION
Two statutory situations
Two statutory triggers deserve immediate attention.
These are distinct Section 6 situations. The applicable route depends on the statutory circumstances and should not be inferred from missing committee information alone.
LAW
02
Employer is respondent
Complaint against the employer
Section 6 separately identifies a complaint against the employer within the LC route.
District structure
The framework is organised at district level.
Section 5 provides for a District Officer. Section 6 requires the District Officer to constitute an LC and states that its jurisdiction extends to the district where it is constituted. The Act also provides for local nodal officers to receive and forward complaints within the statutory framework.
LAWPIH EXPLANATION
LAWProcess map
A structural explanation of the district architecture; not a directory of current officials.
- 01
Appropriate Government
- 02
District Officer
- 03
Local Committee for the district
- 04
Local nodal officers receive and forward complaints
Section 7 composition
Composition is designed to bring outside and district-level participation.
Section 7 sets out LC composition, including a Chairperson drawn from eligible women in social work, a woman member from local administration, eligible NGO/association or subject-familiar members, and the relevant social-welfare or women-and-child-development officer ex officio. The statutory text contains additional qualifications; consult the full provision.
LAW
Chairperson
Eminent woman in social work committed to the cause of women, as specified in Section 7.
Local administration
A woman member from the relevant local administrative area.
External and subject experience
Members from eligible organisations or people familiar with sexual-harassment issues, alongside the ex officio officer described in the Act.
Statutory process
The LC exercises statutory redressal functions where it has jurisdiction.
Section 9 addresses the complaint; Section 10 permits conciliation only at the aggrieved woman's request and not on a monetary-settlement basis; Section 11 addresses inquiry; Section 13 addresses the report and recommendations; Section 16 restricts publication or communication of specified complaint and inquiry information; Section 18 provides an appeal framework for specified outcomes. This page does not assess evidence or predict a finding.
LAWPIH EXPLANATION
LAW
Complaint
Section 9: written complaint to the applicable statutory body and the Act's timing framework.
Conciliation, if requested
Section 10: only at the aggrieved woman's request; monetary settlement is not its basis.
Inquiry
Section 11: statutory inquiry process where applicable.
Report and recommendations
Section 13: report and recommendations after inquiry.
Appeal framework
Section 18: appeal for specified recommendations or actions.
Committee, committee, portal
Committee, committee, portal: the distinction matters.
The IC is tied to the workplace and Section 4. The LC is tied to the district and its Section 6 jurisdiction. SHe-Box is the Government digital platform through which an online complaint may be registered and routed.
LAWOFFICIAL SHe-BOX PROCESSPIH EXPLANATION
| Dimension | IC | LC | SHe-Box |
|---|---|---|---|
| Institution | Workplace statutory committee | District-level statutory committee | Government digital platform |
| Key legal / process source | Section 4 | Sections 6–7 | Current official portal and Government material |
| Function | Statutory process where it has jurisdiction | Statutory process within its jurisdiction | Online access, routing and monitoring |
Official next steps
Verify current district information before acting.
PIH does not publish a static national directory of LC contacts in Phase I. Use current Government sources for district information. Where employer identity, workplace structure or committee status is disputed, seek qualified legal advice.
OFFICIAL SHe-BOX PROCESSPIH GUIDANCE
Check a likely procedure
Start with the complaint guidance to understand which statutory route may apply.
Use the Government portal
Review the current official SHe-Box route and district resources.
Compare institutions
Understand the IC, LC and digital platform roles.
Seek independent guidance
Use PIH's private first step without posting an incident narrative.