Ch. V · §13

Chapter V

Inquiry & Relief

Section

Chapter V · Inquiry & Relief

Section 13

Inquiry report

Section OverviewPending legal verification

On the completion of an inquiry under this Act, the Internal Committee or the Local Committee, as the case may be, shall provide a report of its findings to the employer or the District Officer, as the case may be, within a period of ten days from the date of completion of the inquiry and such report be made available to the concerned parties.

Where the Internal Committee or the Local Committee, as the case may be, arrives at a conclusion that the allegation against the respondent has not been proved, it shall recommend to the employer or the District Officer, as the case may be, that no action is required to be taken in the matter.

Where the Internal Committee or the Local Committee, as the case may be, arrives at a conclusion that the allegation against the respondent has been proved, it shall recommend to the employer or the District Officer, as the case may be, to—

take action for sexual harassment as a misconduct in accordance with the provisions of the service rules applicable to the respondent or where no such service rules exist, in such manner as may be prescribed;

deduct, notwithstanding anything in the service rules applicable to the respondent, from the salary or wages of the respondent such sum as it may consider appropriate to be paid to the aggrieved woman or her legal heirs, as the case may be, as compensation.

For the purpose of making deduction under sub-section (3), the Internal Committee or the Local Committee, as the case may be, shall make the recommendation having regard to the provisions of section 15.

The employer or the District Officer, as the case may be, shall act upon the recommendation within sixty days of its receipt by him.

Temporary structural and explanatory content only; it is not a verbatim reproduction. Complete statutory text and legal commentary will be integrated after separate legal verification.

Source: Ministry of Law and Justice, Government of IndiaRetrieved: 2024-01-15

Plain Language

The committee must submit its findings report to the employer or District Officer within ten days of completing the inquiry.

The report must also be made available to both parties — the complainant and the respondent.

If the allegation is not proved, the committee recommends that no action be taken.

If the allegation is proved, the committee recommends disciplinary action against the respondent and compensation to the aggrieved woman.

The employer or District Officer must act on the committee's recommendations within sixty days of receiving the report.

Why It Matters

The report is the formal output that triggers action and accountability. It is not an internal memo — it has statutory consequences.

The 10-day reporting deadline ensures the committee does not sit on findings indefinitely.

The 60-day action deadline holds the employer accountable for implementing recommendations, not just receiving them.

Making the report available to both parties ensures transparency and preserves the right to appeal under Section 18.

Practical Example

Report and action timeline

Scenario: The IC completes its inquiry on 1 March and finalises findings on 5 March. It submits the report to the employer on 10 March.

Outcome: The report was submitted within the 10-day window. The employer now has until 9 May (60 days) to act on the recommendations.

Recommendation implementation

Scenario: The IC finds the allegation proved and recommends a written warning and Rs 50,000 compensation deducted from the respondent's salary.

Outcome: The employer must implement the disciplinary action and salary deduction as recommended, unless the respondent files an appeal under Section 18 within 90 days.

Who Must Act

ic member

Submit the findings report to the employer or District Officer within 10 days of completing the inquiry.
Make the report available to both parties.
Write findings and recommendations so they can be implemented without ambiguity.

employer

Act on the committee's recommendations within 60 days of receiving the report.
Track the 60-day action clock from the date of receipt.
Implement both disciplinary and compensation recommendations.

employee

Expect to receive the report outcome, not just an oral update.
Note the date of receipt for calculating the appeal window under Section 18.

Compliance

✓

Submit inquiry report to employer or District Officer within 10 days of completion

Actor: Internal Committee / Local Committee · Rule: Section 13(1)

✓

Make the report available to both parties

Actor: Internal Committee / Local Committee · Rule: Section 13(1)

✓

Act on recommendations within 60 days of receiving the report

Actor: Employer / District Officer · Rule: Section 13(5)

✓

Deduct compensation from respondent's salary as recommended

Actor: Employer · Rule: Section 13(3)(ii)

Timelines

Report submission: 10 days from completion of inquiry

The committee must submit its findings report to the employer or District Officer within 10 days of completing the inquiry.

Action on recommendations: 60 days from receipt of report

The employer or District Officer must act on the committee's recommendations within 60 days of receiving the report.

Common Mistakes

✗

Delaying the report beyond the 10-day window — this is a statutory deadline, not a guideline.

✗

Providing only an oral update to the parties instead of making the written report available to them.

✗

Treating the 60-day action deadline as optional — non-implementation can itself become a ground for appeal under Section 18.

✗

Failing to implement compensation recommendations by citing HR policy limitations — the statute overrides inconsistent service rules.

Source & Status

This page contains temporary structural and explanatory content, not a verbatim reproduction of the Act.

Source: Ministry of Law and Justice, Government of India

Publication status: Temporary content pending separate legal verification