Overview
- In 2025, a woman Major in the 1 Armoured Division in Patiala accused a Lieutenant Colonel of sexual harassment, with officials reportedly conducting an informal inquiry that bypassed the POSH Act’s ICC process and pressuring her to withdraw.
- Compiled records from 2015 to 2025 describe a persistent pattern of intimidation, delayed or informal probes, and institutional cover-ups affecting women officers across India’s armed forces.
- A Major was convicted by a General Court Martial for abusing an 11-year-old domestic worker only after civilian courts intervened, underscoring reliance on external pressure for accountability.
- Recent cases include anticipatory bail for an accused Wing Commander in Srinagar, stalled police action in a Shillong complaint against a Brigadier, reports of group assaults in Madhya Pradesh, and ignored allegations in Odisha.
- Experts cite weak POSH enforcement, ineffective Internal Complaints Committees, and jurisdictional shields such as AFSPA as drivers of impunity, with no comprehensive reform reported despite growing calls for change.