POSH Act 2013 · Bhopal, Indore and across Madhya Pradesh

POSH compliance in Bhopal and Madhya Pradesh

Manas, a psychology practice in Ayodhya Nagar, Bhopal, sets up POSH compliance for employers across Madhya Pradesh: Dr. Priya Dubey Sharma as the external member of your Internal Committee, your policy and committee documents, a private complaints portal and your annual report. Plans start at ₹22,499 a year for up to 30 employees.

From ₹22,499 a year for up to 30 employees · one account for all your offices · prices exclusive of GST

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The law in Madhya Pradesh

Who must comply in Madhya Pradesh?

The POSH Act is a central law, so the same duties apply in Bhopal, Indore, Jabalpur, Gwalior and every other district of the state.

POSH duties by workplace size, with the section of the Act or Rules that sets each one.
10 or more employeesSet up an Internal Committee at each office or unit, with a presiding officer who is a senior woman employee, at least two employees, and one external member from an NGO or a person familiar with sexual harassment issues. At least half the members must be women.Source: POSH Act, Section 4 ↗
Fewer than 10 employeesNo Internal Committee is required. Complaints go to the district’s Local Committee, set up by the District Officer.Source: POSH Act, Sections 5 and 6 ↗
Who countsContract workers, probationers, trainees and apprentices count, paid or unpaid, hired directly or through a contractor.Source: POSH Act, Section 2(f) ↗
Every employerA written policy, awareness programs, the penalties displayed at the workplace, and help for a complainant who wants to file a police complaint.Source: POSH Act, Section 19 ↗
Every yearThe Internal Committee prepares an annual report for the employer and the District Officer, and the employer includes the cases in its own annual report.Source: POSH Act, Sections 21 and 22; Rule 14 ↗
PenaltyUp to ₹50,000 for not complying; a repeat offence can bring twice the penalty and cancellation of a licence or registration.Source: POSH Act, Section 26 ↗

Companies also disclose POSH figures in the Board’s Report. See POSH in the Board’s Report.

Where it matters

Which workplaces in Madhya Pradesh are most exposed?

Any workplace with 10 or more people. In practice we see the most gaps in four places.

Factories and industrial units

Govindpura in Bhopal, Mandideep near Bhopal and Pithampur near Indore: several units, shifts and contract labour, and often one committee on paper for all of them. POSH for MSMEs and factories

IT companies and startups

Interns and trainees count towards the 10, remote staff are covered, and investors ask for proof in due diligence. POSH for startups and IT

Hospitals, clinics and schools

Large, mostly women workforces across shifts and departments. The 2019 Indore hospital case shows what a missing committee costs. POSH by industry

Shops, hotels and offices

Small teams often believe POSH does not apply to them. From 10 employees it does, and below 10 the Local Committee hears complaints. Employer compliance checklist

The record

What has the Madhya Pradesh High Court said about POSH?

Four decisions every employer in the state should know, summarized in our own words, each with a link to the source.

MP High Court, Indore · 16 Sep 2019

No committee: ₹50,000 penalty and ₹25 lakh compensation

A private hospital in Indore had no Internal Committee, so a senior manager’s complaint went to the district’s Local Complaints Committee, which upheld it. The High Court directed the hospital to pay the ₹50,000 penalty for not having a committee and held her entitled to ₹25 lakh.

Global Health Pvt. Ltd. v. Local Complaints Committee, District Indore (W.P. 22314/2017)
MP High Court, Jabalpur · October 2023

No appeal to a departmental authority

After an Internal Committee had reported, a police department ordered a second inquiry. The Court set that aside: the Act gives no appeal to a departmental authority, and Section 18 sends appeals to a court or tribunal. It also noted the complaint was filed after three months without written reasons for the delay.

Mukesh Khampariya v. State of Madhya Pradesh (W.P. 21852/2018), LiveLaw report
MP High Court · November 2024

Conciliation before the inquiry

A single judge read Section 10 as obliging the committee to attempt settlement by conciliation before starting an inquiry, and called the committee’s failure to follow Sections 10 and 11 a violation of the Act.

Dr. Kali Charna Sabat v. Union of India through NIT (W.P. 10021/2024), Verdictum report
MP High Court · May 2026

Only the committee can inquire

An employer had a sexual harassment complaint examined by an authority outside the Internal or Local Committee and terminated the employee. The Court set the termination aside and sent the complaint to the committee, holding that a parallel inquiry would frustrate the object of the POSH Act.

Dr. Sajan Kurien Mathew v. State of Madhya Pradesh (W.P. 1662/2026), LiveLaw report

These summaries are simplified and written in our own words. They are general information, not legal advice. For advice on your situation, speak to a lawyer.

Working with Manas

How does Manas work with employers in Bhopal?

Dr. Priya Dubey Sharma, PhD in Organisational Psychology with 18+ years of practice, is your committee’s external member. She is empaneled as a POSH external member through Indradhanush Welfare Foundation (Section 4(2)(c)).

Hearings, by video or in person

Dr. Priya attends the hearings and deliberations of every inquiry your committee holds, as a committee member, by video or in person by arrangement.

Your documents and portal

Your POSH policy, committee constitution order, appointment letters, posters, the annual report and a private online portal for complaints, in English and Hindi.

Training and case support

Awareness training at ₹6,999 per online session, or ₹15,000 per day on site plus travel and stay at actual cost. Managed Inquiry case administration at ₹18,000 per case.

A local business

Manas is a Udyam-registered MSME in Ayodhya Nagar, Bhopal. Manas 365 Mindtech Private Limited and its Co-Founder & CEO are members of Laghu Udyog Bharati, Bhopal unit.

Annual plans by total headcount across all offices. Setup included. Prices exclusive of GST.
Up to 30 employees₹22,499 a year
31–100 employees₹26,999 a year
101–250 employees₹44,999 a year
251–500 employees₹89,999 a year
Above 500On request

See everything included in each plan · Dr. Priya’s full profile

हिंदी में

भोपाल और मध्य प्रदेश में POSH अनुपालन

अगर आपके कार्यस्थल पर 10 या अधिक कर्मचारी हैं, तो आपको हर कार्यालय या यूनिट में आंतरिक समिति (Internal Committee) बनानी होगी, जिसमें एक बाहरी सदस्य हो। मनस्, अयोध्या नगर, भोपाल से, डॉ. प्रिया दुबे शर्मा आपकी समिति की बाहरी सदस्य बनती हैं, और हम आपकी नीति, समिति के दस्तावेज़, शिकायत पोर्टल और वार्षिक रिपोर्ट तैयार करते हैं। योजनाएँ ₹22,499 प्रति वर्ष से शुरू होती हैं (GST अतिरिक्त)। पूरी जानकारी हिंदी में पढ़ें।

Questions, answered

What do employers in Madhya Pradesh ask about POSH?

Is POSH compliance mandatory for companies in Bhopal?
Yes. The POSH Act, 2013 applies across India, including Madhya Pradesh. Every workplace with 10 or more employees must set up an Internal Committee with an external member (Section 4), and every employer has the duties in Section 19, such as a written policy, awareness sessions and displaying the penalties. Source: POSH Act.
Who is the District Officer and Local Committee for Bhopal?
The state government notifies a District Officer for each district — under Section 5 of the Act, a District Magistrate, Additional District Magistrate, Collector or Deputy Collector. The District Officer constitutes the district’s Local Committee (Section 6), which hears complaints from workplaces with fewer than 10 employees and complaints against the employer. For Bhopal, start with the Collector’s office. Source: Sections 5 and 6.
Can Dr. Priya attend our committee hearings in person in Bhopal?
Yes. Dr. Priya Dubey Sharma attends the hearings and deliberations of every inquiry your committee holds, as a committee member, by video or in person by arrangement. This is covered by your plan.
Do you work with employers in Indore, Jabalpur, Gwalior and the rest of Madhya Pradesh?
Yes. One account covers all your offices and units, priced by your total headcount. Hearings run by video or in person by arrangement. On-site awareness training is ₹15,000 per day plus travel and stay at actual cost; online sessions are ₹6,999 each.
Does a factory in Govindpura, Mandideep or Pithampur need a committee at each unit?
The Act asks for an Internal Committee at each administrative unit or office located at a different place (Section 4(1)). Contract workers, trainees and apprentices count towards the 10 (Section 2(f)). Our plan covers every unit in one account, and Dr. Priya is the external member for each committee. POSH for MSMEs and factories.
How much does POSH compliance cost with Manas?
Annual plans by total headcount: up to 30 employees ₹22,499; 31–100 ₹26,999; 101–250 ₹44,999; 251–500 ₹89,999; above 500 on request. Setup is included, and prices are exclusive of GST.
What has the MP High Court said about conciliation?
In Dr. Kali Charna Sabat v. Union of India (W.P. 10021 of 2024, November 2024), a single judge of the Madhya Pradesh High Court read Section 10 as obliging the Internal Committee to attempt conciliation before an inquiry. The Act itself links conciliation to the aggrieved woman’s request and bars a monetary settlement, so committees should record in writing how the conciliation step was handled.
Is Manas a law firm?
No. Manas is a psychology practice in Ayodhya Nagar, Bhopal, and does not give legal advice. We work alongside your legal counsel. Manas is also not affiliated with the Government of India’s Tele MANAS helpline.

· General information, not legal advice. Manas is not a law firm and works alongside your legal counsel.

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