Kalakshetra Sexual Harassment: Madras HC Directs Foundation To Form Stricter Policy

The Madras High Court on Wednesday directed the Kalakshetra Foundation to frame a policy against sexual harassment in accordance with the existing laws and guidelines.
In an interim order, a single-judge bench of Justice M Dhandapani also directed the Foundation to reconstitute its Internal Complaints Committee (ICC).
Justice Dhandapani held that the Foundation must appoint members to the ICC while keeping all students’ interests in mind.
It also stated that the Foundation must not take any adverse action against its students, including those who filed sexual harassment complaints.
The single bench also stated that such protection from retaliation will extend to faculty members who have come out in support of such students.
“I also make it clear that there is no impediment for the independent inquiry committee headed by Justice Kannan or, for the State’s law enforcing agencies from proceeding further on the issue,” the bench remarked.
In December 2022, one of the foundation’s former Directors had made a Facebook post accusing a male teacher of molesting and threatening the students.
This prompted many other students to come out with similar allegations of sexual harassment. The students sat on dharna, demanding that the college take action. One of the students filed a police complaint, which resulted in the arrest of a faculty member.
Earlier this month, seven students from the Foundation had approached the High Court seeking stricter safety standards and robust redressal processes. The students also requested for the ICC to be reconstituted with student and parent representatives.