SOHAIL MALIK Vs. UNION OF INDIA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Assailing the final judgment dtd. 30/6/2023 passed by the High Court of Delhi at New Delhi (hereinafter referred to as "High Court") in WP (C) 8624/2023 confirming the judgment dtd. 23/6/2023 of the Central Administrative Tribunal, Principal Bench, New Delhi (hereinafter referred to as "CAT") in OA No. 1838/2023, the instant appeal has been preferred.

(2.) The jurisdictional challenge by the Appellant in the present case, inter alia relates to whether the Internal Complaints Committee (hereinafter referred to as "ICC") constituted at a certain Department of the Government of India can entertain a complaint under the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 (hereinafter referred to as "POSH Act") against the Appellant who was working at a different Department of the Government of India at the relevant time.

(3.) The Appellant is a 2010 batch officer of the Indian Revenue Service (hereinafter referred to as "IRS") who, at the relevant point of time, was posted as OSD, Investigation, Central Board of Direct Taxes, Delhi. A 2004 batch Indian Administrative Service (hereinafter referred to as "IAS") officer (hereinafter referred to as "aggrieved woman") who was, at the relevant time, posted as Joint Secretary, Department of Food and Public Distribution alleged that on 15/5/2023, the Appellant sexually harassed her at her workplace, which was at Krishi Bhawan, New Delhi.