AIDWA Statement in case of harassment of law intern by former Supreme Court Judge

AIDWA has always fought for the rights of women sexually harassed at workplace, however highly-placed the perpetrator may be. In the case of a law intern’s alleged harassment by Justice A.K.Ganguly, a retired Supreme Court judge, a three- judge panel of the Supreme Court was constituted to enquire into the matter. On 5.12.2013,this committee made public the operative part of its report in which it has said that ‘the statement of the law intern, both written and oral, prima facie discloses an act of unwelcome behaviour (unwelcome verbal/non-verbal conduct of sexual nature) by Justice Ganguly’. In the light of this finding of a three-member panel of the Supreme Court itself, AIDWA strongly feels that Justice Ganguly must step down from the public office he holds at present as the Chairman of the West Bengal Human Rights Commission. AIDWA is also of the opinion that in the interest of justice, the whole truth in this matter must come out through due legal process to be pursued by the appropriate institutions. AIDWA is committed to stand by any appropriate legal action the complainant may seek for this purpose. AIDWA further demands that the scope of the Sexual Harassment Committee set up by the Supreme Court be enhanced to include offences by those in the Supreme Court perpetrated outside Supreme Court Premises. AIDWA also demands immediate notification of the recently-passed Sexual Harassment at Workplace Act.