HC notice to Prasar Bharti CEO on PIL on sexual harassment of radio presenters

NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court today sought response from the Centre and the CEO of Prasar Bharti on a PIL seeking steps against alleged sexual harassment and exploitation of women radio presenters working with FM Gold channel of All India Radio (AIR).

Issuing notices to Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and CEO of Prasar Bharti, a division bench of Chief Justice D Murugesan and Justice V K Jain sought response from them on the issue by May 15.

Filing the PIL through advocate Sugriva Dubey, social worker Meera Mishra said that she came to know about the alleged sexual harassment of women employees of the FM channel through media reports.

According to these reports, though those employees have been working with the channel for past several years, they were sexually harassed or their services were terminated without assigning any reason, she said.

The petition demanded that "strong measures should be taken by the central government and Prasar Bharti to stop the sexual discrimination, exploitation and harassment taking place at their work place in the office of AIR throughout the country".

It said "adequate measures" to ensure the safety of the women employees on night shifts were not being taken by the department.

The PIL sought the court to direct the Centre and Prasar Bharti to formulate concrete policies and guidelines in respect of the service conditions and other protections as required to the female workers by the department.

It further urged that Prasar Bharti be directed to implement the Vishakha guidelines, pertaining to sexual harassment at workplace, laid down by the Supreme Court.