PANAJI
The High Court of Bombay at Goa on Thursday warned the Directorate of Panchayats (DOP) of substantial costs for failing to ensure the constitution of Internal Complaints Committees (ICCs) under the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act across village panchayats in the State.
The court has directed the DOP to submit a detailed affidavit explaining the delay in constituting an ICC at the Village Panchayat of Majorda-Utorda-Calata and detailing the steps taken to ensure compliance with the law across all village panchayats by October 19. It cautioned that failure to do so would attract substantial costs.
The matter came up after the petitioner pointed out that the Majorda-Utorda-Calata panchayat had failed to constitute the mandatory committee under the PoSH Act.
The High Court noted that the Director of Panchayats had stated in an affidavit dated January 30, 2026, that every village panchayat governed by the Goa Panchayat Raj Act constitutes an independent workplace and is legally required to set up an ICC.
However, the department has not placed any material on record to explain why the committee has not been constituted at the panchayat concerned or to demonstrate the enforcement measures taken to ensure compliance across the state.
“Despite a year having elapsed, till date there is no material placed on record by the DOP as to why the Internal Complaints Committee has not been constituted for the aforementioned Village Panchayat,” the court observed.
