Imbalance of Power

We, members of women’s groups, lawyers, scholars and civil society, stand in solidarity with the decision of the complainant to withdraw from the in-house committee proceedings into her complaint of sexual harassment at workplace, against the Chief Justice of India (CJI). The reasons given by her in the letter justify her decision to abstain, especially in the context of total imbalance of power vis-à-vis her on one side and the members of the highest judiciary on the other.

Post the complainant expressing her decision not to participate in the process, the CJI is said to have appeared before the committee and the committee has decided to proceed with the enquiry ex parte.