Nov. 5: The Assam Human Rights Commission (AHRC) today rejected an inquiry report pertaining to alleged sexual harassment of a city-based employee of the Assam Apex Weavers and Artisans Co-operative Federation Ltd (Artfed) by one of her colleagues and asked the managing director to conduct a fresh probe.
The commission held that the inquiry conducted by the general manager of Artfed was not in conformity with the guidelines laid down by the Supreme Court for probing complaints of sexual harassment at the workplace. It identified another anomaly in the report: the absence of the managing director’s signature.
The rights panel cautioned the managing director of the public sector undertaking, whose head office is at Ambari, that it would move the Supreme Court for contempt proceedings if he did not conduct an impartial inquiry. It asked him to submit the report by December 31.
A copy of the order will be forwarded to the chief secretary.
Bibha Neog, an upper division assistant at Artfed’s head office, moved the commission on May 13, accusing the authorities of ignoring her complaints about alleged sexual harassment by one of her colleagues. She said senior branch manager Mihir Kalita had been making obscene remarks about her at the workplace and had humiliated her in front of colleagues on several occasions.
Neog claimed her boss warned her of dire consequences when she filed verbal and written complaints against him. She moved the State Women’s Commission on March 4. The petition stated that Kalita stalked Neog within the office and made “objectionable and obscene” remarks. These alleged incidents took place between August 29, 2002, and May 13 this year.
Neog told the commission that she had filed several complaints against Kalita, including one with the employees’ union of Artfed, but did not get a positive response.
The rights panel wrote to the managing director on September 26, asking him whether the inquiry conducted by the general manager was in accordance with the Supreme Court’s guidelines.
The secretary of Artfed forwarded the inquiry report compiled by the general manager to the commission on October 31.
