Among the top 30 listed companies in India, sexual harassment filings increased by 6.2% in FY25 under the Prevention of Sexual Harassment (POSH) Act, 2013.
According to data put together for ET by Complykaro, the top 30 companies received 958 sexual harassment complaints in FY25, which is a significant increase from 902 complaints in FY24.
The increase in the number of complaints, as per many experts, signals the growing trust of employees within the POSH policy infrastructure. It showcases that employees now feel more comfortable coming forward and sharing their grievances.
“The rise in POSH complaints is not a sign of workplaces becoming less safe, but it’s a sign of employees finding their voice,” Pallavi Pareek, founder of Ungender, told ET.
Earlier in September 2025, the Supreme Court of India mandated that all companies with more than 10 employees must set up an Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) under the POSH Act. The ruling urged states like Karnataka to start issuing compliance notices.
The ruling came about a month after Maharashtra State Women’s Commission expressed its concerns over the implementation of the POSH Act and demanded mandatory POSH Audits in every workplace within the state.
The moves made the state bodies, as well as the judiciary, highlight India’s commitment towards creating a safer workplace for its employees. As such, the increased number of complaints within FY25 emerges as a positive for the advocates of the POSH Act.
However, filing complaints is but the first step of the process outlined under the POSH Act. Vishal Kedia, Founder of Complykaro, shared that the pendency of unresolved complaints increased by 21%, highlighting areas within the complaint addressal process that still need improvement.
