2 sexual harassment complaints received by HRD Ministry: Smriti Irani

NEW DELHI: The HRD Ministry today said it has received two complaints of alleged sexual harassment including one against the chairman of National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS).

HRD Minister Smriti Irani informed the Lok Sabha that the complaints committee of the Ministry was looking into the complaint against NIOS chairman filed by a former joint director of the organisation.

Another complaint was filed by a associate professor of Sri Lal Bahadur Shastri Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidhyapeetha here against the institute's registrar.

The complaints committee of the ministry had issued showcause notice to the registrar on March 27 this year to submit the response within 10 days, Irani said in a written reply.

"The registrar had filed writ petition in Delhi High Court and the court had directed on July 3 this year to the respondents not to take any further action in the matter against the petitioner," she said.

She said apart from her Ministry, each autonomous institutions is having a complaints committee to look into the issue of sexual harassment.