Delhi High Court reprimands government for naming sexual harassment survivor in POSH guide

In a hearing on Tuesday, the Delhi High Court rebuked the central government for including a sexual harassment survivor’s name in a POSH handbook issued by the Ministry of Women and Child Development. Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma emphasized that the law forbids disclosing a victim’s identity and makes such disclosure punishable, regardless of the government's status. The petition, filed by the alleged perpetrator, asked that his own name be removed, arguing that the matter had been settled.

Counsel for the petitioner highlighted that the handbook, published in November 2015 for educational purposes, also contained the woman’s name and a labour tribunal order. The court instructed the government’s lawyer to name the officials responsible for the content and ordered Google to de-link and de-index the material. Sharma reiterated that prior judicial directions to protect survivors’ identities remain binding, even after settlements.