1,047 nodal officers deployed to prevent sexual harassment of women, Tamil Nadu government tells Madras HC

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu submitted before the Madras High Court that 1,047 security guards had been appointed across the state to prevent sexual harassment of women in the workplace.

The first bench, comprising Acting Chief Justice R. Mahadevan and Justice Mohammed Shaffiq, heard a petition filed by S. Periyasamy.

The complainant sought to direct the State to appoint nodal officers in every block, taluk and tehsil in rural or tribal areas and in every district or municipality in urban areas, under Section 5 of the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013.

In this regard, the state submitted a status report stating that the government has deployed 1,047 nodal officers across the state to protect women from sexual harassment.

The status report reveals that 92 nodal officers have been appointed in revenue departments, 289 in taluk, 350 in block offices and 55 nodal officers in corporate zones.

Since the applicant’s complaint had given the State a hearing, the court dismissed the application.