Punjab & Sind Bank Amends Officer Employees' Conduct Regulations to Prohibit Sexual Harassment

The Punjab & Sind Bank Officer Employees' (Conduct) Amendment Regulations, 2000, a set of regulations issued by the Punjab & Sind Bank, came into force on February 5, 2001, upon their publication in the Official Gazette. These regulations were made by the Board of Directors of Punjab & Sind Bank, exercising powers conferred by section 19 of the Banking Companies (Acquisition and Transfer of Undertakings) Act, 1980, in consultation with the Reserve Bank of India and with the previous sanction of the Central Government. The primary purpose of these regulations was to introduce specific provisions addressing the prohibition of sexual harassment within the workplace, thereby amending the existing Punjab & Sind Bank Officer Employees' (Conduct) Regulations, 1981.

The amendment specifically inserted a new Regulation 24A into the 1981 Regulations, titled "Prohibition of Sexual Harassment of Working Women." This new provision explicitly mandated that no officer employee shall engage in any act of sexual harassment against any woman at her workplace. Furthermore, it placed a clear responsibility on every officer employee who is in-charge of a workplace to take appropriate steps to prevent sexual harassment from occurring within their area of supervision. The legislative intent behind this amendment was to foster a safe and respectful working environment for women employees within the bank, addressing a critical aspect of workplace conduct and employee welfare.

The introduction of Regulation 24A aimed to fill a statutory gap in the earlier legal framework, which presumably lacked explicit provisions to tackle sexual harassment. By defining and prohibiting such conduct, the regulations sought to establish clear guidelines for employee behaviour and accountability. The legislation provided: “...For the purpose of this regulation, "sexual harassment" includes such unwelcome sexually determined behaviour (whether directly or otherwise) as— (a) physical contact and advances, (b) a demand or request for sexual favours; (c) sexually coloured remarks, (d) showing pornography, or (e) any other unwelcome physical, verbal or non-verbal conduct of a sexual nature”. This comprehensive definition clarified the scope of prohibited actions, encompassing various forms of unwelcome conduct. The amendment thereby introduced new obligations for all officer employees to refrain from such behaviour and for those in supervisory roles to actively prevent it, ensuring a more secure and equitable professional setting for women working at Punjab & Sind Bank.

Keywords: Punjab & Sind Bank, Conduct Regulations, Sexual Harassment, Workplace Safety, Banking Law, Employee Conduct, Amendment Regulations, 2000, India Geo Tags: India, Delhi District: Not Applicable