#MeToo: Lawyer files PIL seeking formation of panels
Women of all classes, especially the educated are using this as a platform to name and shame the person who had sexually harassed them.
Mumbai: A city-based female lawyer has filed a PIL in the Bombay high court in connection with #MeToo campaign. The petitioner sought direction to the government of Maharashtra to constitute committees comprising three women, out of which one member must be lawyer, at every police station for cases of sexual harassment.
Petitioner advocate Falguni Brahmbhatt in her petition has stated that presently there is a major public outrage due to a movement by name #MeToo movement that is against sexual harassment and sexual assault of women.
Women of all classes, especially the educated are using this as a platform to name and shame the person who had sexually harassed them.
“The said movement unfortunately has been restricted to social media as none of the women who have been vocal about their experiences have taken any legal steps.”
“They have neither lodged formal complaints nor have they brought the knowledge regarding the crime committed against them to the attention of local police where the alleged incident are supposed to have taken place,” read the petition adding that consequently the person against whom allegations are made would not be booked by appropriate competent authorities under appropriate sections of law and will go scot free even if they were involved in the criminal act.
According to petitioner, merely naming and shaming the persons allegedly involved in such shameful crimes against women on social media is not sufficient to book those persons who have allegedly committed such offences.
Advocate Falguni Brahmbhatt has requested the court to direct the state government to bring about suitable changes in the law to relax provisions relating to period of limitation with respect to complaints and civil suits lodged by women.