Companies in the Nifty 50 index recorded 1,327 complaints under the Prevention of Sexual Harassment (POSH) Act in FY26, up 4.6% from 1,269 a year earlier, according to an Economic Times analysis.
The figure extends a multi-year climb in formal POSH filings at India’s largest listed firms. Reported cases had already risen through the previous two cycles, and FY26 adds another increase on top of that base. What’s shifting alongside the volume is the nature of the complaints. Verbal harassment, unwanted communication, and misuse of authority in hierarchical relationships remain common, but grievances tied to digital communication have become more prominent as work moves across chat, email, and video.
A higher count doesn’t automatically mean more harassment is happening. That’s the reading most compliance specialists have offered. Several told the reporting outlets that the numbers reflect employees who feel able to come forward, plus the mandatory annual sensitisation drives that companies now run.
The increase is “a positive outcome of the greater awareness created by companies,” said Vishal Kedia, POSH expert and trainer at Complykaro. Kedia added that high-profile cases, including the TCS Nashik incident, have pushed boards to treat workplace harassment complaints more seriously because of the reputational and legal exposure involved.
Regulation is tightening the paper trail too. Under a Ministry of Corporate Affairs disclosure regime, company board reports must now state the number of POSH complaints received, disposed of during the year, and pending for more than 90 days. That change moves POSH data out of HR files and into statutory governance reporting that investors and directors can see.
Higher POSH cases at large firms “do not automatically indicate a higher incidence of misconduct,” said Sonam Chandwani, managing partner at KS Legal & Associates. Chandwani noted that big employers often carry a more gender-diverse workforce and stronger reporting systems, which encourage people to file rather than stay silent.
