Wl-3163-From Impunity to Accountability: Extending the POSH Act to Political Parties

Despite significant strides towards gender equality, political equality remains a distant goal for women in India. While the gender gap in voter turnout has been nearly bridged, this progress is not reflected in the other aspects of political participation. The threat of sexual harassment, combined with the stigmatisation of politics as an arena unsuitable for women, has been holding women back from pursuing an active career in politics. In this article, I discuss the relevance of the plea filed by Supreme Court lawyer Yogamaya MG on the crucial question of bringing political parties under the ambit of the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 (POSH Act). The article explores three key dimensions: the prevalence of sexual crimes in political parties, the informal nature of the political space that exacerbates vulnerabilities and the unequal playing field of politics that nurtures a sense of impunity from consequences. The article concludes by discussing the “culture of impunity” in the political space and argues that the promise of political representation must include the promise of a safe space.