The Bar Council of India issued workplace safety guidelines on March 3, 2026, making POSH Act compliance mandatory for all legal bodies including bar associations, law firms, and individual chambers. These guidelines establish clear requirements for Internal Complaints Committees and prevention measures, addressing long-standing gaps in protecting women in the legal profession.
Core Guidelines
Every bar association and law firm with more than ten members must constitute an Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) within 90 days. The ICC must include a senior woman advocate as Presiding Officer, two other members, and at least one external member from an NGO to ensure impartiality. The guidelines specify separate complaint rooms, digitized filing systems, and strict timelines of 90 days for inquiry completion.
