How to file a PoSH complaint (with a plain-English template)

In My Corner · Learn — 8 min read · Updated July 2026

Writing it down makes it real, and that's frightening. It's also the single most useful thing you can do, because a written complaint starts a process with rules, timelines and protections — instead of leaving you at the mercy of a quiet word that gets ignored. Here's how it works in India, and what to put in the complaint.

First: is this the PoSH route?

The PoSH Act 2013 route is for sexual harassment and the complainant must be a woman. If that fits, this is a strong, specific path. If your situation is general bullying or non-sexual harassment, or you are a man, the PoSH Internal Committee isn't the right forum — use your employer's ordinary grievance/HR channel instead, and see our guide on whether it's harassment or bullying.

Where the complaint goes

The Internal Committee (IC) — every workplace with 10 or more employees must have one, headed by a senior woman with an external member. This is your first port of call.
The Local Committee — if your workplace has fewer than 10 employees, or your complaint is against the employer, it goes to the Local Committee through the District Officer.
She-Box — the government's online portal for filing sexual-harassment complaints, which routes them to the right committee.

Mind the clock

File within 3 months of the incident (or within 3 months of the last incident, if it's a series). The Committee can extend by up to another 3 months if there was good reason for the delay — but don't rely on that. If you can, act well inside the first three months.

What to put in it

Facts, dated, in order. What happened, when, where, and who was present. Specific incidents beat general labels.
Exact words where you can. Quote what was said. Attach any messages, emails or screenshots.
Witnesses, if any, and any documents that support you.
What you're asking for — an inquiry, and any interim relief you need (a transfer, that the respondent stop supervising your work, leave). The IC can recommend interim measures.
Keep it factual and calm. You don't need legal language. Clarity is more powerful than anger on paper.

A simple structure you can adapt

"To the Internal Committee, [Organisation]. I am writing to make a formal complaint of sexual harassment under the PoSH Act 2013. On [date] at [place], [what happened, in plain factual terms]. This was witnessed by [names, if any]. [Any further incidents, dated.] I have attached [evidence]. I request that the Committee conduct an inquiry, and I request the following interim relief: [e.g. that the respondent no longer supervise my work]. Yours faithfully, [name, date]."

Keep a copy for yourself, on a personal device, before you submit. Once it's filed, the Committee must complete its inquiry within about 90 days, and the employer must act on the findings within 60 days. You are entitled to confidentiality, and retaliation for complaining is itself prohibited.

If any of this has you at the edge — not sleeping, dreading every morning, or worse — please put this article down and talk to a human first: Tele-MANAS 14416 (or 1-800-891-4416), the Government of India mental-health helpline — free, 24/7, in 20+ languages — or KIRAN 1800-599-0019. In an emergency, call 112. The job problem can wait an hour; you matter more.

You don't have to work this out alone. In My Corner is a team of five AI companions for exactly this — one who listens, one who decodes letters and knows your deadlines, one who keeps your evidence organised, one for fresh starts, one who teaches. Private by design: conversations are never stored on our servers.

Talk it through — In My Corner

This article is general information, not legal advice. India's law is jurisdiction- and status-specific — the PoSH Act 2013 covers sexual harassment of women, deadlines are short, and the new Labour Codes (in force from 21 November 2025) are still being implemented state by state. For decisions that matter, speak to your Internal Committee, the She-Box portal, the Labour Commissioner, or an employment advocate.