The woman then sought relief from the Supreme Court. (Representative)
Bangalore:
The Karnataka High Court on Monday directed ANI Technologies, the parent company of OLA Cabs, to compensate a woman with Rs five lakh after she allegedly faced sexual harassment by one of their drivers during a 2019 trip.
Presiding over a single judge bench, Justice MGS Kamal also directed OLA's Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) to initiate a proper investigation in accordance with the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition, and Redressal) Act, 2013 (POSH Act). ).
The investigation must be completed within 90 days and a report must be filed with the district attorney.
Moreover, ANI Technologies has been ordered to pay Rs 50,000 to meet the petitioner's legal costs.
The Court emphasized that all parties must comply with Article 16 of the POSH Act, which ensures the confidentiality of the identities involved. The Court had reserved its ruling for August 20.
The petitioner, who was a victim of the harassment, had initially approached OLA with her complaint, but the company's ICC, on the advice of an external legal advisor, refused to investigate, claiming that it had no jurisdiction.
The woman then sought relief from the High Court, seeking a directive for OLA to investigate her complaint and for the Ministry of Women and Child Development to ensure the company adheres to POSH guidelines. She also urged the state to introduce protective rules for women and children using taxi services.
The Court further directed the Karnataka State Road Safety Authority to expedite the proceedings regarding the notice to ANI Technologies, with a period of 90 days for completion. The state government has been ordered to pay a fine of Rs one lakh for not adequately responding to the petition.
During the proceedings, counsel for the petitioner argued that OLA functions as a transportation company and not just a platform, and that it should bear responsibility for the actions of its drivers. However, OLA's counsel argued that the drivers are independent contractors and not employees, and the company should not be held liable under labor law.
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