NCW Pushes for Annual POSH Audits to Strengthen Workplace Harassment Law

The National Commission for Women (NCW) is advocating for mandatory annual audits to ensure genuine compliance with India's Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (POSH) Act, 2013. The move aims to go beyond procedural box-ticking and enforce real implementation of the decade-old law. Audits would examine the functioning of internal complaints committees, how harassment cases are handled, and the effectiveness of employee awareness programs. Some states, including Maharashtra, have already begun taking proactive steps toward stronger enforcement. Organizations found non-compliant with POSH requirements could face financial or legal penalties under the proposed framework.