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ARTICLE · 27 MAY 2026

BCI Issues Comprehensive POSH Compliance Guidelines

S.S. Rana & Co.
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In a significant development aimed at strengthening workplace safety within India’s legal fraternity, the Bar Council of India (BCI) has issued an extensive set of guidelines calling for mandatory adoption of Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 (POSH Act) compliant mechanisms across bar associations, law offices, State Bar Councils, and the BCI itself

IndiaEmployment and HR
Anuradha Gandhi
Anuradha Gandhi
Isha Sharma
Isha Sharma
Rishabh Gupta
Rishabh Gupta
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Introduction

In a significant development aimed at strengthening workplace safety within India’s legal fraternity, the Bar Council of India (BCI) has issued an extensive set of guidelines calling for mandatory adoption of Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 (POSH Act) compliant mechanisms across bar associations, law offices, State Bar Councils, and the BCI itself.1

This move comes at a pivotal moment as the Supreme Court of India is presently hearing a crucial petition filed by the Supreme Court Women Lawyers Association (SCWLA). The petition challenges earlier judicial interpretations—particularly the Bombay High Court ruling—which excluded Bar Councils from the definition of “workplace,” thereby denying women advocates the protections available under the POSH Act due to the absence of a conventional employer–employee relationship in the legal profession.

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