IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH Reserved on: 26.09.2025 Pronounced on: 19.12.2025 Uploaded on: 19.12.2025 MRIDU CHAUHAN -PETITIONER V/S STATE BANK OF INDIA AND OTHERS -RESPONDENTS CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE KULDEEP TIWARI Present: Mr. Anil Rana, Advocate, for Mr. Puneet Gupta, Advocate, for the petitioner.

Ms./Mrs. Madhu Dayal, Advocate, for the respondents.

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KULDEEP TIWARI, J.

1. With a view to protect women against sexual harassment at the workplace, ensuring their right to work with dignity, and giving statutory effect to the guidelines laid down by the Hon’ble Supreme Court in “Vishaka v. State of Rajasthan”⁽¹⁾, Parliament enacted the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 (hereinafter referred to as the “POSH Act”). The primary objective of the POSH Act is to prevent and prohibit all forms of sexual harassment of women at the workplace by fostering a safe, secure, and dignified working environment in both the public and private sectors. The enactment seeks to uphold and protect the fundamental rights of women (1) 1997(6) SCC 241 guaranteed under Articles 14, 15, 19(1)(g) and 21 of the Constitution of India