MANUU faces sexual harassment row over ICC report
Maulana Azad National Urdu University in Hyderabad faces a severe controversy following allegations of sexual harassment against a senior faculty member and the subsequent suppression of the Internal Complaints Committee's findings. Instead of taking action based on the ICC report, the university appointed a retired judge for a secondary inquiry, prompting the complainant to file a writ petition in the High Court. The court intervened with interim orders to suspend the university's second inquiry proceedings.
Why it matters
Exposes institutional failures and legal battles surrounding the implementation of the POSH Act in Indian central universities.
The Maulana Azad National Urdu University, a central university based in Hyderabad, is currently embroiled in a serious controversy of sexual harassment and suppression of facts, with the complainant approaching the High Court seeking justice.
Sources from the university informed that a senior faculty member from the Islamic Studies department is accused of sexual misconduct, which subjected the alleged victim to years of mental trauma and agony until she broke and lodged a complaint.
The Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) is learnt to have submitted its report confirming the harassment; yet, the university, instead of taking action against the faculty member, appointed a retired judge as an enquiry officer to probe the issue further. This goes against the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 (POSH Act) under which the ICC is constituted.
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