Government of Kerala                                                            Reg.No. KL/TV (N)/12/2002.            

KERALA GAZETTE

EXTRAORDINARY

Vol. XLVII             Thiruvananthapuram                  27^th March 2002.                  No. 355.

GOVERNMENT OF KERALA

Personnel and Administrative Reforms (Advice-C) Department

NOTIFICATION

G.O. (P) No. 13/2002/P&ARD.               Dated, Thiruvananthapuram. 19^th March 2002.

            S.R.O.No. 188/2002. – In exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (1) of Section 2 of the Kerala Public Services Act, 1968 (19 of 1968), read with Section 3 thereof, the Government of Kerala hereby make the following rules further to amend the Kerala Government Servants’ Conduct rules, 1960, namely: -

RULES

1. Short title and Commencement- (1) These rules may be called the Kerala Government Servants’ Conduct (Amendment) Rules, 2002.

(2) They shall come into force at one.

2.Amendment of the rules- In the Kerala Government Servant’s Conduct Rules, 1960, after rule 93 E the following rule shall be inserted, namely: -

“93 F. Prohibition of sexual harassment of working women – (1) No Government Servant’s shall indulge in any act of sexual harassment of any women at her work place.

(2) Every Government servant who is in charge of a work place shall take appropriate steps to prevent sexual harassment to any woman at such work place.

Explanation- For the purpose of this rule, “sexual harassment” includes such unwelcome sexually determined behavior, whether directly or otherwise, as,

(a).  Physical contact and advances.

(b)    Demand or request for sexual favours

(c)     Sexually coloured remarks;

(d)    Showing any pornography; or

(e)     Any other unwelcome physical, verbal or non-verbal conduct of a sexual nature”

By order of the Governor,

C. RAMACHANDRAN,

Principal Secretary to Government.

Explanatory Note

(This is not form part of the notification, but is intended to indicate its general purport.)

The Hon’ble Supreme Court in a judgment has laid down guidelines and norms to be observed to prevent sexual harassment of workingwomen.  In pursuance of the above directors of the Supreme Court, the Government of India have amended the Central Civil Services (Conduct) Rules, 1964 making a specific provision for prohibition of sexual harassment of working women.   Government of India have directed to take necessary action to suitably modify the conduct rules governing the employees of State Government/Union Territories also to ensure that they include the express prohibition of sexual harassment and provide for appropriate penalties against the offender.

This notification is intended to achieve the above object.