Internal complaints committee

INTERNAL COMPLAINTS COMMITTEE

The College has constituted Internal Complaint Committee according to the Sexual Harassment of Women at the Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act 2012.  ICC is the college’s instrument for addressing issues/grievances/cases of sexual harassment and recommending their redressal.

This is in keeping with Article 21 of the Constitution of India, which assures every individual the right to live with human dignity, free from exploitation. In this spirit, the college’s policy is formulated to prevent sexual harassment of women on the campus. The policy extends to all students, faculty, staff, officers, residents and visitors. 

The Committee will take cognizance of all forms of sexual harassment and promote gender sensitisation.  This is also in tune with the concern expressed by the University Grants Commission about ensuring a safe environment for women students and employees in educational institutions.  

Rules & Procedures

          The Chairperson will call all meetings of the Committee, and a notice of at least one working day must be given for the meeting while in exceptional cases, an emergency meeting may be convened as per the requirement.

• No  person   who  is  a   complainant,  witness,  or   defendant  in  the complaint of sexual harassment shall be a member of the Committee.
• Any Committee member charged with sexual harassment in a written complaint must step down as a member during the enquiry into that complaint.
• If the ICC decides not to conduct an inquiry into a complaint, it shall record  the   reasons  for  the   same  in  the   Committee  meeting  minutes. The   Committee  shall  make   the  same  available   to  the  complainant   in writing.
• Within  not  more   than  five  working   days  on  the   receipt  of  the   first intimation  of  the   enquiry,  the  complainant   and  the  defendant   shall submit a list of witnesses to the Convenor of the Committee in writing, together  with  their   contact  details,  that they desire committee  to examine.
• The Committee shall have the power to summon any official papers or documents about the complaint under enquiry.
• The  Committee   may  consider  as   relevant  any  earlier   complaints against  the  defendant.   However,  the  past   sexual  history  of  the complainant  shall  not   be  probed  into   as  such  information   shall  be deemed irrelevant to a complaint of sexual harassment.
• The  Committee   shall  have  the   right  to summon,  as   many  times  as required,   the  defendant,  complainant   and/or  any  witnesses   for the supplementary simony and/or clarifications.
• The  defendant,   the  complainant,  and   witnesses  shall  be   intimated  at least  seventy   two  hours  in   advance  in  writing   of  the date,  time  and venue of the enquiry proceedings. The responsibility of communicating with the witnesses lies with the complainant/defendant regarding the meeting’s date, time, and venue.
• All proceedings of the Committee shall be recorded in writing.   The record  of  the   proceedings  and  the   statement  of  witnesses   shall  be endorsed by the persons concerned in token of authenticity thereof.
• All persons heard by the Committee, as and observers/nominee stake and   observe  an  oath   of  secrecy  about   the  proceedings  to   protect  the dignity  of  the  complainant   and  the  defendant.   Any violation of the promise of secrecy may invite penalties.
• Enquiry to be completed within 10days
• The Committee shall strive to complete the enquiry in the shortest possible time, preferably within ten from the date on which the complaint is referred to and not exceeding it.

Findings of the Committee:

          After concluding its enquiry, the Committee shall prepare a detailed and written report of its findings. The enquiry report shall specify the details of the charge(s) against the defendant, the statements made and evidence presented in the enquiry and a discussion of the reasons upon which the findings arrived at by the Committee.

• The  Committee   shall  provide  a   report  of  its  findings  to   the  employer within 10 days of completion of inquiry and such report shall be made available to the concerned parties.
• No  observations   regarding  the  work   and  behavior  of   either  the complainant or defendant shall be made which are not related to the alleged  act   of  sexual  harassment.   However,  the  Committee   may consider  as  relevant   any  earlier  complaints   of  sexual  harassment against the defendant.
• An  opportunity   made  be  given   to  the  parties   to  be  heard   on  the findings before a recommendation is made.
• Upon  the   completion  of  an   enquiry,  the  said   Committee  may  in  a detailed and reasoned manner pass any of the following orders:
• If  the   Committee  finds  no   merit  in  the   complaint,  it  shall   write  to  the competent authority giving reasons for its conclusions. The  concerned  Committee   may  then  dismiss   the  complaint  which   was the subject of the Inquiry.
• In  the   event  that  the   Committee  finds  the   defendant  guilty  of   sexual harassment, it shall also recommend the nature of disciplinary action to be taken  taking  into consideration  the   gravity  of  the   offence  of  which   he  has been  found   guilty  and  the   impact  on  the   complainant.  
• The  disciplinary action  will be commensurate  with   the  nature  and   impact  of  the   sexual harassment.  It  shall   also  recommend  whether   after  disciplinary  action   has been  taken,  the College Administration  should   publicize  the  identity   of  the offender, the misconduct and the disciplinary action is taken.  

Composition of ICC:

S. No.	Name	Designation	Category
1.	Dr.T.Malliga	Principal, Vellalar College of Education	Chairperson
2.	Mrs. M. Kavitha	Assistant Professor, Vellalar College of Education	Coordinator
3.	Mrs. M.Mythile	Assistant Professor, Vellalar College of Education	Coordinator
4.	Mr.C. Sathish	Assistant Professor, Vellalar College of Education	Coordinator
5.	Mrs.I.Poongothai	Dept. of Social Welfare & Erode District	District Social Welfare officer
6.	Mrs.V.E.Maayamurthy	Advocate, Erode	Advocate
7.	Mrs.Poongodi	Sub-Inspector of Police, Erode	Sub-Inspector of Police
8.	S.Revathy	II B.Ed., President of Student Council	Student Representative
9.	P.Suganthi	Student, II B.Ed.,	Student Representative
10.	Mr.N.Karthik	Manager,  Vellalar College of Education	Member
11.	Mrs.S. Leelavathi	Office Assistant,  Vellalar College of Education	Member
12.	Mrs. R.Kalaivani	Assistant Professor,  Vellalar College of Education	Member
13.	Mrs.R.Sathiya Priya	Assistant Professor,  Vellalar College of Education	Member
14.	Mrs.L.Anitha	Assistant Professor,  Vellalar College of Education	Member
15.	Mrs.Kavidevi	Assistant Professor,  Vellalar College of Education	Member