HC notice to TERI, Pachauri on complainant's plea

The Delhi High Court on Monday issued notice to central government and The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) and its chief R.K. Pachauri on the plea of a woman employee who levelled sexual harassment allegations against the environmentalist.

A division bench of Chief Justice G. Rohini and Justice Jayant Nath sought response from the government, TERI and Pachauri by November 16 on the woman's plea alleging that the organisation had not taken any action against him as recommended by an internal complaints committee in connection with her sexual harassment complaint.

The woman said TERI and its governing council primarily failed to treat it as a misconduct or suspend Pachauri as recommended by the committee in its report.

On May 29, an industrial tribunal had stayed the committee report, she said in her plea, while challenging the stay order and the jurisdiction of the tribunal to deal with appeals against the committee report or non-implementation of its recommendations.

The petition filed by the woman also sought directions to TERI and its governing council to give a declaration that they would abide by the Sexual Harassment at Workplace Act and Rules.