Karnataka High Court pulls up government for not releasing compensation to sexual harassment victims

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The Karnataka High Court bench of Chief Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi and Justice Suraj Govindaraju pulled up the State government for not releasing compensation to victims of sexual harassment. The  bench further informed the advocates that that  the Principal Secretary of the Woman and Child Welfare Departmen would have to appear personally if the compensation amount is not released at once.

According to The News Minute, court was hearing a petition filed by The People's Movement against Sexual Assault Association an organisation working for the welfare of survivors of sexual assault.

The advocate for the Karnataka State Legal Services Authority (KSLSA), representing the victims, informed the court that they had requested the government to pay a compensation of Rs.20 crores, however the government has not released compensation for survivors despite the order by the High Court in this regard.

According to reports the court had on 19th March 2020 directed the State to release the funds, however the State did not do it citing economic crisis. The reports further suggest that the court had in May 2020 directed the government to release at lease 1/4th of the stipulated amount which had not been done till date.