Women lawyers demand action on a lawyer's allegation that she was sexually harassed by Supreme Court judge
New Delhi:
The Chief Justice of India today said that he would ensure justice in the case of a young law intern who has alleged sexual harassment by a Supreme Court judge.
"After the incident I immediately set up three-member panel. I assure everyone justice will be done in every aspect," Chief Justice of India P Sathasivam said.
The Supreme Court today set up a 10-member panel headed by woman judge Ranjana Prakash Desai to look into sexual harassment complaints "within its precincts". Officials said this panel will not investigate the law intern's complaint, since it was not on court premises and the judge has since retired.
Her case will continue to be probed by the three-member panel set up by the Chief Justice two weeks ago after the lawyer wrote a blog on the alleged incident.
Yesterday, the law intern, now a lawyer with an NGO, said that she felt looked upon with suspicion and "humiliated" when she appeared before the panel of judges.
In an interview to the Wall Street Journal, she also said she felt for a long time that seeking legal recourse would do her "more harm than good" as the Indian legal system was not equipped to sensitively deal with crimes against women.
Last week, after deposing before the Supreme Court panel for the second time, she had said that she had complete faith in the inquiry.
The lawyer had written in her blog earlier this month that the judge had harassed her on Christmas Eve in a hotel room in Delhi. She did not name the judge, but said that he has since retired.
"After the incident I immediately set up three-member panel. I assure everyone justice will be done in every aspect," Chief Justice of India P Sathasivam said.
The Supreme Court today set up a 10-member panel headed by woman judge Ranjana Prakash Desai to look into sexual harassment complaints "within its precincts". Officials said this panel will not investigate the law intern's complaint, since it was not on court premises and the judge has since retired.
Her case will continue to be probed by the three-member panel set up by the Chief Justice two weeks ago after the lawyer wrote a blog on the alleged incident.
Yesterday, the law intern, now a lawyer with an NGO, said that she felt looked upon with suspicion and "humiliated" when she appeared before the panel of judges.
In an interview to the Wall Street Journal, she also said she felt for a long time that seeking legal recourse would do her "more harm than good" as the Indian legal system was not equipped to sensitively deal with crimes against women.
Last week, after deposing before the Supreme Court panel for the second time, she had said that she had complete faith in the inquiry.
The lawyer had written in her blog earlier this month that the judge had harassed her on Christmas Eve in a hotel room in Delhi. She did not name the judge, but said that he has since retired.
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