POSH Annual Return Filing in Madhya Pradesh: Ensure a Safe Workplace

Updated on October 14, 2025 05:27:40 PM

The POSH Act would apply to all workplaces within India that have 10 or more employees. In Madhya Pradesh, like in other states, the annual POSH return is to be submitted by the organizations. On January 31 of every year, the same would be submitted to the District Officer. This would be a record of the organization's efforts toward the prevention and redressal of sexual harassment in the workplace.

The POSH Act, enacted in 2013, sets up a legal system purportedly to ensure a safe workplace free of sexual harassment for all employees working in India. In the State of Madhya Pradesh, as also in other states, organizations with more than ten employees are required to follow this Act by submitting an annual report on compliance with the provisions of POSH. This report becomes important in maintaining transparency and accountability about safety at work.

An IC in an organization must be functional and should make an annual report with critical information like complaints received, complaints disposed of, as well as pending cases, with details of awareness programs conducted during the year. The POSH Act does not have a specific deadline for filing the report, though reports should be filed by January 31 of the next year.

The annual POSH return can be tricky for someone new to such a return. For one end, one can pursue an easy way to understand it in a few simplified steps:

  Collect the Required Information   Compile the Report   Review and Ensure Accuracy   Track Status

The procedure for filing the POSH (Prevention of Sexual Harassment) annual return is fraught with problems an organization needs to overcome to achieve compliance smoothly.

• Lack of Awareness and Training: Many organizations are unaware of specific requirements for POSH annual returns, and members of their Internal Committees are often not trained in compliance processes.
• Inadequate Documentation: There is a need for inclusive documentation while submitting the annual return under the act. It must have a list of complaints received, actions taken, and training conducted throughout the year.
• Confidentiality and Sensitivity: To comply while maintaining confidentiality is a difficult balance because the POSH Act demands the privacy of the complainants and the respondents.
• Resource and Time Constraints: Many Internal Committees are constituted with limited resources and time due to the fact that POSH activities form an additional responsibility on top of the regular roles.
• Tracking Training and Awareness Initiatives: Reporting on training and awareness initiatives is another challenge that organizations face regularly as many of them do not have a centralized synergy to assist in tracking those activities.