Original statutory wording · G.S.R. 769(E)
Official Rule Text
Person familiar with the issues relating to sexual harassment for the purpose of clause (c) of sub-section (1) of section 7 shall be a person who has expertise on issues relating to sexual harassment and may include any of the following:—
(a) a social worker with at least five years’ experience in the field of social work which leads to creation of societal conditions favourable towards empowerment of women and in particular in addressing workplace sexual harassment;
(b) a person who is familiar with labour, service, civil or criminal law.
Original Central Rules: G.S.R. 769(E), 9 December 2013. Ministry of Women and Child Development, Government of India. Source version: G.S.R. 769(E), dated 9 December 2013; Gazette of India, Part II, Section 3(i); English text, Gazette pages 4–6 (PDF pages 1–3 of the Ministry extract).
Ministry Gazette copy (PDF) · Government-hosted comparison copy (PDF)
Heading separators, line wrapping and indentation are adapted for screen reading. Source-printing anomalies are preserved and identified in separate PIH transcription notes; those notes are not part of the statutory text.
Official wording and PIH editorial explanation are separate layers. This reference provides general legal information; a particular employment relationship, complaint or inquiry may require qualified advice.
PIH editorial guidance · separate from statutory text
Plain-English Explanation
Rule 4 expressly identifies Section 7(1)(c), which concerns Local Committee membership. Its opening requirement is expertise on issues relating to sexual harassment, followed by examples of persons who may fall within that description.
The social-worker example includes at least five years’ experience in social work leading to conditions favourable to women’s empowerment, particularly in addressing workplace sexual harassment. The second example is a person familiar with labour, service, civil or criminal law.
The five-year wording belongs to the stated social-work category. It is not written as a universal five-year qualification for every person described by Rule 4.
Internal Committee external membership has its own statutory source in Section 4(2)(c). Rule 4 must not be used as though it were the qualification provision for that separate IC appointment.
Practical Significance
An eligibility assessment begins with the correct committee and appointment provision. Similar language about familiarity with sexual-harassment issues does not merge the IC and LC membership rules.
Scope, Conditions and Safeguards
- Rule 4’s express statutory reference is Section 7(1)(c): the Local Committee.
- The social-work experience description and the legal-familiarity example are distinct; the five-year criterion should not be attached indiscriminately to both.
- Assessing a particular person’s eligibility requires the complete applicable Act provision and their actual qualifications, not a generic external-member checklist.
Related POSH Act Provisions
- Act Section 7 — Section 7(1)(c): Local Committee membership; not the Section 4(2)(c) IC external-member provision
Section 4(2)(c) concerns the Internal Committee’s external member. It is a distinct membership provision; Rule 4’s Section 7(1)(c) Local Committee context must not be substituted for it. Compare Act Section 4.
Related Rules
Professional Guidance
For a particular matter, seek qualified professional or official guidance. Do not submit complaint details or medical information through this reference.