Delhi HC declines plea seeking provisions for protecting witnesses from retaliation in sexual harassment cases

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court Wednesday declined to entertain a plea seeking directions to the Centre to consider amending the law on sexual harassment at workplace to make provisions for protecting victims as also witnesses from retaliation. A bench of Chief Justice DN Patel and Justice C Hari Shankar said the court cannot advise the legislature to amend a law. “We see no reason to direct amending of the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013. It is not a function of the court to advise the Parliament to amend the law,” the bench said and disposed of the plea by a lawyer. The petitioner, who is also a lawyer, had claimed that she has experience in dealing with the sexual harassment law and has held discussions and seminars to sensitise companies and employees about the provisions in the Act.