Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) — Sections 4–5

3.1 Mandatory Requirement (Section 4)

Every employer with 10 or more employees must constitute an ICC at each office or branch — not just the head office.

Composition of ICC (Section 4(2)):

1. Presiding Officer: A woman employed at a senior level at the workplace. If no senior woman employee, nominated from other office/administrative unit/headquarters.
2. Two or more members: From among employees — preferably committed to women's causes or with experience in social work/legal knowledge
3. One external member: From an NGO/association committed to women's causes or a person familiar with issues of sexual harassment — this is mandatory, not optional.

Requirement: Not less than one-half of the total members shall be women.

Term: Members serve for 3 years from date of nomination.

3.2 Chairperson — Not Presiding Officer

The ICC is presided over by the senior woman employee — not a chairperson elected by members. This is important: if no eligible senior woman employee at that workplace, she must be nominated from the organisation's other unit.

3.3 Annual Report (Section 21)

The ICC must prepare an annual report every calendar year and submit it to the employer and the District Officer. The report contains:

• Number of cases of sexual harassment received
• Number of cases disposed of
• Cases pending for more than 90 days
• Nature of action taken by the employer
• Workshops and awareness programmes

3.4 Vacancy in ICC — Section 5

If any member of the ICC becomes vacant for any reason (death, resignation, end of term), the employer must fill the vacancy. ICC functions validly with reduced strength during the vacancy period.

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