Case Study On Vishaka and Ors. V. State of Rajasthan
Case Study On Vishaka and Ors. V. State of Rajasthan
Case Study On Vishaka and Ors. V. State of Rajasthan
STATE OF
RAJASTHAN
(Case Study towards the fulfillment of assessment in the subject of Legal Methods
B.A.LL.B(HONS.)
Section - B
It gives me immense pleasure to express my gratitude to all who supported and helped me in
completing this project. I extend my heartfelt gratitude to Mr. Rupaksh Sharma for being the
guiding light and a source of inspiration throughout the course of this project. I also thank her for
I would also like to thank all the library and support staff for helping me in procuring the
materials required to complete this project. Lastly I would like to thank the almighty under
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
SYNOPSIS......................................................................................................................................4
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................5
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................15
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SYNOPSIS
The case of Vishaka v State of Rajasthan is a landmark judgement in the sense that it paved the
way for Sexual Harassment guidelines and accepted International Conventions and norms in the
absence of a specific legislation. The case analysis vividly brings out the essence of this case. To
provide a clear picture of the case, the case has been divided into six main heads.
The aforesaid topics include: 1. “Importance of the case for Legal Education” which throws light
on the relevance of this case, 2. “Facts of the case” which briefly summarizes the pertinent facts
of the case, 3. “Contentions of the parties”, 4. “Legal Issues involved”, 5. “Judgement of the
Court” and lastly “The main reasons which led to this judgement”. The split of topics has been
done wisely and with utmost precision to bring out the intricacies involved in this case.
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INTRODUCTION
Court of India. It is a landmark case because for the first time ever, it was officially recognized at
such a high level of need for laws for sexual harassment and laying down of guidelines of sexual
harassment of working woman. The Supreme Court in the case of Vishaka v. the State of
Rajasthan laid down for the first time strictures that aimed at protecting a woman employee by
giving her right to a safe/healthy working environment. In the decision, the Court also defined
sexual harassment and recognized it to be a paramount violation of human rights. The court
thereby laid down certain mandatory and binding guidelines to be followed by all workplaces,
belonging to the public and private sectors and made it imperative for every employer to ensure a
safe, harassment free working environment for the women. These strictures can be applied to
educational institutions as well. These strictures were based on conventions of which our country
is a signatory and human right which are inalienable for any human being.
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Importance of the Case for Legal Education
furnishes beyond techniques, skills and competences the basic philosophies, ideologies, critiques,
and instrumentalities all addressed to the creation and maintenance of a just society”. A just
society in a layman’s language would be the society in which everyone is treated in a fair manner
and no discrimination is done on the basis of religion, race, caste, sex, place of birth, economic
standard etc.
Law schools’ function is not only to manufacture every year thousands of legal brains which will
be used to make money either for themselves or for the firms whom they would be working with
but to help a great extent in creation of just society. Law students in future will turn into lawyers
those who will educate the masses about what is wrong, what is right, what are their duties, what
is state’s duties, what constitutes crime and enlighten their minds in toto.
In this case for the first time a comprehensive definition was given as to what constitutes sexual
harassment at workplace and certain guidelines were issued for the rights of working women at
workplace and same can be claimed. If we don’t include this case in legal education, there will
be an ambiguity as to what kind of acts constitute sexual harassment at workplace and what are
the rights of working women at workplace. In a country like India some women are subjected to
sexual harassment but they also don’t know that they are victims of the same as illiteracy
remains a major problem, women are still not aware of their rights and are not treated at par with
man and unless they don’t know their rights it is and will be a very grim situation for them. Law
students can help in creating awareness about the same by enlightening the minds of woman
around them and can help in creation as well as maintenance of a just society
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Facts of the case
Bhanwari Devi was a social worker (Saathin) at rural level in a development programme initiated
by State Government of Rajasthan, aiming to curb the evil of child marriages in villages. As part
of her work, Bhanwari Devi, tried to stop Ramkaran Gujjar’s infant daughter’s marriage.
Nevertheless, marriage took place but Bhanwari Devi was not forgiven for her efforts to stop
marriage. She was subjected to social boycott, and in September 1992 was gang raped by five
men including Ramkaran Gujjar in front of her husband. The only male doctor in the Primary
Health Centre refused to examine Bhanwari and the doctor at Jaipur only confirmed her age
without making any reference to rape in his medical report. At the police station too, the women
constables taunted her throughout the night. It was past midnight when the policemen asked
Bhanwari to leave her lehenga behind as evidence and return to her village. She was left with
only her husband’s bloodstained dhoti to wear. Their pleas to let them sleep in the police station
The trial court acquitted the accused, but Bhanwari was determined to fight further and get
justice. She said that she had nothing to be ashamed of and that the men should be ashamed due
to what they had done. Her fighting spirit inspired fellow saathins and women’s groups
countrywide. In the months that followed they launched a concerted campaign for justice for
Bhanwari. On December 1993, the High Court said, “It is a case of gang-rape which was
committed out of vengeance”. This provoked women’s groups and NGOs to file a petition in the
Supreme Court of India. As part of this campaign, the groups had filed a petition in the Supreme
Court of India, under the name ‘Vishaka’, asking the court to give certain directions regarding
the sexual harassment that women face at the workplace. The result is the Supreme Court
judgement, which came on 13th August 1997, and gave the Vishaka guidelines.
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Legal Issues Involved
The case involved multiple legal issues. In the absence of a detailed law regarding Sexual
Harassment of Women at Workplace, a lot of emphasis and deliberation was assigned to the
legal issues involved on this case. Those legal issues are as follows:
1. What were the existing laws that spoke about the status of women at the workplace?
Workplace?
3. Can International Conventions and norms be used to provide justice in the absence of a
There was no particular law made in this regard ever before. Although the Government had
entered into certain treaties and conventions which called for making such a law, but the
requirement had never been fulfilled. A special enactment was definitely required to do away
with the increasing rates of crimes against women at the workplace. The afore-mentioned legal
issues were addressed by the court in the most elaborate and clear manner. It relied on
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Contentions of the Parties
A writ petition under Article 32 of the Indian Constitution was filed before the Supreme Court.
The major contentious issues between the parties included the following:
exposed to.
3. Whether International Conventions and norms could be applied to fulfill this urgent
The case was filed by a Women’s Action Group under the name of “Vishaka”. They wanted
enactment of a specific law with regards to Sexual Harassment of women at workplace. The
Supreme Court accepted the petition and under the able advice of the counsel Mr. Soli Sorabjee
formulated the Vishaka Guidelines. There was no contention on the part of Supreme Court as it
was clear case of a void in legislations. The group specifically wanted the court to frame
guidelines related to Sexual Harassment of Women at workplace. The aim of the Supreme Court
was to find a suitable method for realization of the true concept of “gender equality”, and to
prevent sexual harassment of working women at all workplaces through judicial legislation, and
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Decision of the Court
The court held that there was a clear violation of Articles 14, 15, 19(1) (g) and 21. It also focused
on issues regarding gender equality, asserting that gender equality includes protection from
sexual harassment and the right to work with dignity. In the absence of specific legislations in
this regard, international conventions and norms have to be considered. Those international
conventions not inconsistent with Fundamental Rights and in harmony with its spirit must be
read into these provisions to enlarge the meaning and content thereof. It was decided by the court
that the obligation of Supreme Court under Article 32 for the enforcement of Fundamental
Rights in the absence of legislation must be viewed along with the role of judiciary envisaged in
The court laid down the following guideline termed under the name of Vishaka Guidelines:
counterparts and fellow workers. They must prevent or deter the acts of sexual
harassment and provide the procedure for resolution, settlement or prosecution of the acts
Showing pornography.
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3. Preventive Steps:
penalties.
Appropriate conditions with respect to work, leisure and hygiene to further ensure
4. Criminal Proceedings- If the conduct to any offence under the IPC/any law, the
5. Disciplinary Action: Actions must be taken with respect to relevant service rules
7. Complaints Committee: It shall be headed by a woman, and not less than half of the
others should be women. The third party must be familiar with the issue of sexual abuse.
8. Worker’s Initiative: The workers must be allowed to raise issues of sexual harassment
9. Awareness of this right: The workers must be made aware of such rights. Guidelines
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10. Third Party Harassment: The employer and the person in charge should provide
11. Central/State Government: They must make legislations with regard to sexual
harassment, so that the guidelines contained herein must be followed in private sector as
well.
12. The aforesaid guidelines will not prejudice any rights available under the Protection of
The court ruled that these guidelines will remain in force unless a specific legislation is made.
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Main Reasons for reaching the Decision
CEDAW Regulations.
The main reason of the Supreme Court in reaching the judgement or formulation of guidelines
was the absence of an enacted law to provide for the enforcement of basic human rights of
gender equality and guarantee against sexual harassment and abuse, more particularly against
sexual harassment at workplaces. The case was also a violation of Fundamental Rights (Articles
14, 15, 19, 21). The judges also considered other articles from the constitution of India. Article
42 of the constitution provides for just and humane conditions of work and maternity relief,
while Article 15 includes prohibition of discrimination on grounds of religion, race, caste, sex, or
place of birth. Judges also considered international treaties and conventions. The Articles in the
constitution which gave effect to such considerations are Article 253 and Article 51. Article 253
talks about legislations for giving effect to international agreements. The enabling power of
Parliament to make laws for implementing International Conventions and norms is by virtue of
1
M.P. JAIN, INDIAN CONSTITTIONAL LAW, 1365 (7th ed. 2014).
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A very pertinent reason in reaching the decision was the role of judiciary envisaged in Beijing
talked about the Objectives of Judiciary which the court wanted to hold high through its
judgement. Another prominent reason is the norms laid down in “Convention on the Elimination
of all forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW)”. This convention had been ratified by
the Government of India, except with some reservations. The main Articles of this conventions
relevant in the present case were Articles 11 and 24. It pointed out that equality in employment
can be seriously impaired when women are subjected to gender specific violence, such as sexual
harassment at workplaces. According to the Supreme Court: “It is now an accepted rule of
judicial Construction that regard must be given to international conventions and norms for
constructing domestic law when there is no inconsistency between them and there is void in the
domestic law.”2
The judgement given by the judge also discussed certain commitments by India in the 4 th World
national policy on women which will continuously guide and inform action at every level and
sector. The strategy adopted by the Supreme Court with a view to expand the ambit of Article
21, and to imply certain rights therefrom, has been to interpret Art. 21 along with international
charters on Human Rights.3 India is a signatory to International Covenant on Civil and Political
Rights, 1966 and Universal Declaration on Human Rights. Both these agreements have been
signed by India and they do not go in contrary to the Indian Municipal Law. This kind of judicial
2
L.I.C. of India v Consumer Education and Research Centre, AIR 1995 SC 1811, 1818 : (1995) 5 SCC 482.
3
M.P. JAIN, INDIAN CONSTITTIONAL LAW, 1167 (7th ed. 2014).
4
D.K. Basu v State of West Bengal, AIR 1997 SC 610 : (1997) 1 SCC 416.
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CONCLUSION
The decision of the Supreme Court in this landmark case had a vast impact on the Indian
Judiciary and upcoming laws in this regard. Use of International Covenants strong-footed India
in the International arena. The guidelines provided a complete solution to the problem of Sexual
Harassment of women at the workplace. The definition laid out in the guidelines also made
women aware of their rights and under the discussed laws. In a huge country like India, Sexual
Harassment had been increasing at a rampant rate. Moreover, the victims of such abuse were not
The judgement was comprehensive in nature, although it had certain loopholes which must have
been taken care of. The judgement did lay much emphasis on implementation of such guidelines
at the national level. A commission should have been formed to ensure proper implementation of
the guidelines. If at all a commission already existed, reference should have been specifically
made to it for supervision of such guidelines. The most pertinent factor in the judgement was
that it was gender neutral. It treated both the sexes impartially and fairly. However, the
subsequent acts related to this matter have not been successful in achieving gender neutrality.
The judgement not only provided justice to women but also upheld the sanctity of the
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