New Delhi, December 8: An All India Radio (AIR) official was demoted from his position after he was being accused of sexual harassment by nine women employees. The National Commission for Women (NCW) on Friday said that the AIR employee has also been subjected to other salary cuts after he was found guilty. The NCW in its statement said that the disciplinary authority accepted the recommendations and imposed a major penalty of reduction to a lower pay scale by two stages for one year and no increment during the reduction period. Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace: Two Cases of Incidents Filed at Rashtrapati Bhavan Reveals RTI. 

According to IANS, the Commission said after the expiration of one year, the reduction period will have effects on subsequent increments. The accused was also transferred as an administrative measure. The report further informed that the NCW in its letter addressed to the Secretary, Information and Broadcasting, and CEO, Prasar Bharati, in November had directed to conduct an inquiry into the complaints. Minister MJ Akbar, Accused of Sexual Harassment, Should Answer or Resign, Demands Congress. 

The Commission’s direction came after it received a formal complaint dated November 12 from the office-bearers of the All India Radio Casual Announcer and Comperes Union alleging sexual harassment at the workplace of casual announcers and compares working in different stations of the AIR across the country. #MeToo in India: 9 Out of 10 Complaints of Sexual Harassment Are True, Why it’s Difficult to Frame False Cases. 

According to the IANS report, the Prasar Bharati, in response to the NCW letter, stated about certain preventive measures taken by the AIR, like posting of women Programme Executives as station In-Charge, installation of CCTV cameras at vantage points and providing transport facility to women employees during odd hours. AS per details by the National Commission for Women, the Prasar Bharati Secretariat has asked its centres to send quarterly progress reports in respect of sexual harassment complaints being inquired into by the respective internal committees.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 08, 2018 03:53 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).