India, Aug. 20 -- The Bombay high court on Wednesday said the Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) of an organisation cannot summarily close sexual harassment complaints filed under the Prevention of Sexual Harassment at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 (POSH Act) and ruled that complainants can appeal to the industrial court against such closures.

A single judge bench of Justice Sandeep Marne said section 11(1) of the POSH Act uses the term "shall", making it clear that an inquiry is mandatory, not optional. Thus, when the ICC receives a sexual harassment complaint, it is "bound to conduct the inquiry".

The court passed the order on petitions filed by three executives from an infrastructure investment trust. T...