POSH Act and Rules · Glossary

POSH glossary: the key terms of the POSH Act and Rules

The POSH Act defines its key terms in section 2, and the 2013 Rules add a few in Rule 2. An “aggrieved woman” is the woman who says she was harassed. The “respondent” is the person the complaint is against. The “Internal Committee” is the committee every employer sets up under section 4. The full definitions and our notes are below.

Written by Manas Editorial Team · Last updated · Checked against the official text

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The official text

How do the Act and the Rules define each term?

Each definition word for word from India Code (Act) or the Gazette of India (Rules), with its section. Spelling is as printed.

Definitions

What is an aggrieved woman?

(a) “aggrieved woman” means— (i) in relation to a workplace, a woman, of any age whether employed or not, who alleges to have been subjected to any act of sexual harassment by the respondent; (ii) in relation to dwelling place or house, a woman of any age who is employed in such a dwelling place or house;
Section 2(a), page 3

Who is the respondent?

(m) “respondent’ means a person against whom the aggrieved woman has made a complaint under section 9;
Section 2(m), page 4

Who counts as an employee?

(f) “employee” means a person employed at a workplace for any work on regular, temporary, ad hoc or daily wage basis, either directly or through an agent, including a contractor, with or, without the knowledge of the principal employer, whether for remuneration or not, or working on a voluntary basis or otherwise, whether the terms of employment are express or implied and includes a co-worker, a contract worker, probationer, trainee, apprentice or called by any other such name;
Section 2(f), page 4

Who is the employer under the Act?

(g) “employer” means— […] (ii) in any workplace not covered under sub-clause (i), any person responsible for the management, supervision and control of the workplace. Explanation. —For the purposes of this sub-clause “management” includes the person or board or committee responsible for formulation and administration of polices for such organisation; (iii) in relation to workplace covered under sub-clauses (i) and (ii), the person discharging contractual obligations with respect to his or her employees; […]
Section 2(g)(ii) and (iii), page 4 (sub-clause (i) covers government bodies; (iv) covers homes)

What does workplace cover?

(o) “workplace” includes— (i) any department, organisation, undertaking, establishment, enterprise, institution, office, branch or unit which is established, owned, controlled or wholly or substantially financed by funds provided directly or indirectly by the appropriate Government or the local authority or a Government company or a corporation or a co-operative society; (ii) any private sector organisation or a private venture, undertaking, enterprise, institution, establishment, society, trust, non-governmental organisation, unit or service provider carrying on commercial, professional, vocational, educational, entertainmental, industrial, health services or financial activities including production, supply, sale, distribution or service; (iii) hospitals or nursing homes; (iv) any sports institute, stadium, sports complex or competition or games venue, whether residential or not used for training, sports or other activities relating thereto; (v) any place visited by the employee arising out of or during the course of employment including transportation by the employer for undertaking such journey; (vi) a dwelling place or a house;
Section 2(o), page 5

What is sexual harassment under the Act?

(n) “sexual harassment” includes any one or more of the following unwelcome acts or behavior (whether directly or by implication) namely:— (i) physical contact and advances; or (ii) a demand or request for sexual favours; or (iii) making sexually coloured remarks; or (iv) showing pornography; or (v) any other unwelcome physical, verbal or non-verbal conduct of sexual nature;
Section 2(n), page 5

What is the Internal Committee?

(h) “Internal Committee” means an Internal Complaints Committee constituted under section 4;
Section 2(h), page 4

Who is the Presiding Officer?

(l) “Presiding Officer” means the Presiding Officer of the Internal Complaints Committee nominated under sub-section (2) of section 4;
Section 2(l), page 4

What is the Local Committee?

(i) “Local Committee” means the Local Complaints Committee constituted under section 6; [section 6(1):] Every District Officer shall constitute in the district concerned, a committee to be known as the “Local Committee” to receive complaints of sexual harassment from establishments where the Internal Committee has not been constituted due to having less than ten workers or if the complaint is against the employer himself.
Section 2(i), page 4, and section 6(1), pages 6 and 7; amendment markers omitted

Who is the District Officer?

(d) “District Officer” means on officer notified under section 5; [section 5:] The appropriate Government may notify a District Magistrate or Additional District Magistrate or the Collector or Deputy Collector as a District Officer for every District to exercise powers or discharge functions under this Act.
Section 2(d), page 4, and section 5, page 6 (“on officer” is as printed)

What does Complaints Committee mean in the Rules?

(c) “Complaints Committee” means the Internal Committee or the Local Committee, as the case may be;
Rule 2(c), POSH Rules, 2013 (Gazette page 4)

What is conciliation?

10. Conciliation.—(1) The Internal Committee or, as the case may be, the Local Committee, may, before initiating an inquiry under section 11 and at the request of the aggrieved woman take steps to settle the matter between her and the respondent through conciliation: Provided that no monetary settlement shall be made as a basis of conciliation.
Section 10(1), page 8

What is interim relief during an inquiry?

12. Action during pendency of inquiry.—(1) During the pendency of an inquiry on a written request made by the aggrieved woman, the Internal Committee or the local Committee, as the case may be, may recommend to the employer to— (a) transfer the aggrieved woman or the respondent to any other workplace; or (b) grant leave to the aggrieved woman up to a period of three months; or (c) grant such other relief to the aggrieved woman a may be prescribed.
Section 12(1), page 9 (the Act says “action during pendency of inquiry”; “interim relief” is the common name)

What is the inquiry report?

13. Inquiry report.—(1) On the completion of an inquiry under this Act, the Internal Committee or the Local Committee, as the case may be, shall provide a report of its findings to the employer, or as the case may be, the District Officer within a period of ten days from the date of completion of the inquiry and such report be made available to the concerned parties.
Section 13(1), page 9
Source: India Code PDF ↗, pages 3 to 9; Gazette of India, G.S.R. 769(E) ↗, Gazette page 4 (PDF page 18)
In plain words

What do the terms mean in plain words?

  • Aggrieved woman: The woman who says she was sexually harassed. At a workplace she can be of any age and need not be an employee; in a home, she is a woman employed there.
  • Respondent: The person the complaint is against. The Act does not limit this to men or to employees.
  • Employee: Anyone working at the workplace, paid or unpaid: permanent, temporary, daily wage, contract workers, probationers, trainees, apprentices and volunteers.
  • Employer: In a private workplace, the person responsible for its management, supervision and control, including the board or committee that makes its policies.
  • Workplace: Public and private organisations of every kind, hospitals, sports venues, homes, and any place an employee visits for work, including transport the employer provides.
  • Sexual harassment: Any unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature, physical, verbal or non-verbal, direct or implied. Section 3(2) adds circumstances such as threats about her job or a hostile work environment.
  • Internal Committee: The committee every employer sets up under section 4 to receive and inquire into complaints.
  • Presiding Officer: The woman employee at a senior level who heads the Internal Committee.
  • Local Committee: The district-level committee. It hears complaints from places with fewer than ten workers and complaints against the employer.
  • District Officer: The officer, such as the District Magistrate or Collector, who runs the Act in a district and receives annual reports.
  • Complaints Committee: In the 2013 Rules, either committee: the Internal Committee or the Local Committee.
  • Conciliation: A settlement the committee can help reach before an inquiry, only if the woman asks. Money cannot be the basis of it.
  • Interim relief: Steps while the inquiry runs, on her written request: a transfer, up to three months’ leave, or other prescribed relief.
  • Inquiry report: The committee’s findings, due to the employer within ten days of finishing the inquiry and shared with both parties.
Employer checklist

How should an employer use these terms?

  • Use the Act’s terms in your POSH Policy and committee order, so they match the law.
  • Write “employee” as widely as section 2(f) does: contract workers, trainees and volunteers included.
  • Describe your “workplace” to include places visited for work and transport you provide (section 2(o)(v)).
  • Name your District Officer and Local Committee in the policy, for complaints against the employer.
  • Tell staff that conciliation is only at the woman’s request and never for money (section 10(1)).
  • Explain interim relief: transfer, or leave of up to three months, on a written request (section 12(1)).
The numbers

Which numbers appear in these definitions?

Numbers inside the definitions and related sections, checked 20 October 2026.
Local Committee thresholdFewer than 10 workersSection 6(1)
Unorganised sectorAn enterprise with fewer than 10 workersSection 2(p)
Leave during inquiryUp to 3 monthsSection 12(1)(b)
Inquiry reportWithin 10 days of completing the inquirySection 13(1)
Committee termUp to 3 yearsSection 4(3)
Definitions in the Act16, clauses (a) to (p)Section 2
ComplaintWithin 3 months of the incidentSection 9(1)
InquiryWithin 90 daysSection 11(4)
Employer acts on the reportWithin 60 daysSection 13(4)
Court rulings

Which court rulings shaped these terms?

Vishaka v. State of Rajasthan (1997)

The Supreme Court’s guidelines used the name “Complaints Committee”. The 2013 Rules still use that phrase for either committee (Rule 2(c)). The Court held its directions “binding and enforceable in law until suitable legislation is enacted”. (Judgment of 13 August 1997 ↗)

Aureliano Fernandes v. State of Goa (2023)

The Court used the short forms ICCs, LCs and ICs for the committees and “PoSH Act” for the Act. It directed that committee details be published on the organisation’s website (paragraph 77(ii)). (Judgment of 12 May 2023 ↗)

Questions

Which questions do people ask about POSH terms?

Can a man be an aggrieved woman under the POSH Act?
No. Section 2(a) defines the aggrieved woman as a woman, and section 9 gives the complaint route to her. An employer’s own policy can cover more people, but that is outside the Act.
Are interns and trainees employees under the POSH Act?
Yes, in our reading. Section 2(f) includes a trainee, an apprentice, or anyone “called by any other such name”, paid or not, and people working on a voluntary basis.
Does the workplace include travel for work?
Yes. Section 2(o)(v) includes any place an employee visits in the course of employment, including transport the employer provides for that journey.
What is the difference between the Internal Committee and the Local Committee?
The employer sets up the Internal Committee for its own workplace (section 4). The District Officer sets up the Local Committee for places with fewer than ten workers and for complaints against the employer (section 6(1)).
Can a complaint be settled with money?
No. Conciliation is allowed before an inquiry, at the woman’s request, but “no monetary settlement shall be made as a basis of conciliation” (section 10(1)).
How Manas helps

How does Manas use these terms in your POSH documents?

Your POSH Policy, committee order and complaint forms use the Act’s own terms, so they read the same way as the law your committee applies. Dr. Priya Dubey Sharma, Founder & Consulting Psychologist, serves as the external member on client committees. See how it works on our POSH compliance page, or run the free 2-minute committee check. For more answers, read the POSH FAQ.

Sources

Where does this page come from?

Last checked against these sources on . The Act’s text is reproduced with our commentary (Copyright Act, 1957, s.52(1)(q)(ii)); Gazette rules and court judgments under s.52(1)(q)(i) and (iv). General information, not legal advice. Manas is not a law firm.

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