This is Set 11 of 40 in the smartvidya question bank on the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 and Rules, with the latest judgments. Part III: Complaint, conciliation and inquiry. This set covers Action during pendency, leave, transfer, inquiry report, recommendations, recovery and the sixty-day time limit.
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Set 11: Sections 12 and 13: Interim Relief and the Inquiry Report
1. Action during the pendency of an inquiry is provided in
(a) Section 12
(b) Section 11
(c) Section 13
(d) Section 14
Ans. (a) Section 12 — Explanation: Section 12 provides interim relief during the inquiry. [Ref: Section 12]
2. Interim relief under Section 12 is recommended on
(a) a written request made by the aggrieved woman
(b) the employer's request
(c) the Committee's own motion only
(d) the respondent's request
Ans. (a) a written request made by the aggrieved woman — Explanation: Section 12(1) requires a written request by the aggrieved woman. [Ref: Section 12(1)]
3. Under Section 12, the Committee may recommend
(a) transfer of the aggrieved woman or the respondent to another workplace
(b) payment of compensation
(c) dismissal of the respondent
(d) suspension of the woman
Ans. (a) transfer of the aggrieved woman or the respondent to another workplace — Explanation: Section 12(1)(a) allows transfer of either party. [Ref: Section 12(1)(a)]
4. Leave that may be recommended for the aggrieved woman during pendency is up to
(a) three months
(b) six months
(c) one year
(d) one month
Ans. (a) three months — Explanation: Section 12(1)(b) allows leave up to three months. [Ref: Section 12(1)(b)]
5. The leave granted under Section 12 is
(a) in addition to the leave she would otherwise be entitled to
(b) without pay
(c) deducted from her earned leave
(d) deducted from her salary
Ans. (a) in addition to the leave she would otherwise be entitled to — Explanation: Section 12(2) says this leave is additional to her normal entitlement. [Ref: Section 12(2)]
6. Under Rule 8, the Committee may recommend that the respondent be restrained from
(a) drawing salary
(b) speaking to any woman
(c) attending office at all
(d) reporting on the work performance of the aggrieved woman or writing her confidential report
Ans. (d) reporting on the work performance of the aggrieved woman or writing her confidential report — Explanation: Rule 8 allows this, with the duty assigned to another officer. [Ref: Rule 8]
7. In an educational institution, Rule 8 also allows restraining the respondent from
(a) attending examinations
(b) supervising any academic activity of the aggrieved woman
(c) entering the library
(d) teaching any class
Ans. (b) supervising any academic activity of the aggrieved woman — Explanation: Rule 8 covers supervision of academic activity. [Ref: Rule 8]
8. The employer must implement the interim recommendation and
(a) seek the respondent's consent
(b) seek the District Officer's approval
(c) wait for the inquiry to finish
(d) send a report of the implementation to the Committee
Ans. (d) send a report of the implementation to the Committee — Explanation: Section 12(3) requires the employer to implement and report. [Ref: Section 12(3)]
9. The inquiry report is provided to the employer or the District Officer within
(a) thirty days
(b) sixty days
(c) ten days from the date of completion of the inquiry
(d) ninety days
Ans. (c) ten days from the date of completion of the inquiry — Explanation: Section 13(1) requires the report within ten days of completion. [Ref: Section 13(1)]
10. The inquiry report must also be made available to
(a) all employees
(b) the concerned parties
(c) the police in every case
(d) the media
Ans. (b) the concerned parties — Explanation: Section 13(1) requires the report to be made available to the parties. [Ref: Section 13(1)]
11. If the allegation is not proved, the Committee recommends that
(a) the case be sent to the police
(b) the woman be punished automatically
(c) the respondent be compensated by the woman
(d) no action is required to be taken in the matter
Ans. (d) no action is required to be taken in the matter — Explanation: Section 13(2) provides for a recommendation of no action. [Ref: Section 13(2)]
12. If the allegation is proved, the Committee recommends that the employer take action for sexual harassment
(a) as a misconduct in accordance with the service rules, or as prescribed where there are none
(b) by transferring the woman
(c) as a criminal offence only
(d) by imposing imprisonment
Ans. (a) as a misconduct in accordance with the service rules, or as prescribed where there are none — Explanation: Section 13(3)(i) treats it as misconduct under the service rules or the Rules. [Ref: Section 13(3)(i)]
13. Where the allegation is proved, the Committee may recommend deduction from the respondent's salary of an appropriate sum
(a) only with his consent
(b) to be paid to the employer
(c) notwithstanding anything in the respondent's service rules, to be paid to the aggrieved woman or her legal heirs
(d) only if the service rules allow it
Ans. (c) notwithstanding anything in the respondent's service rules, to be paid to the aggrieved woman or her legal heirs — Explanation: Section 13(3)(ii) overrides the service rules for this deduction, decided under Section 15 of the Act. [Ref: Section 13(3)(ii)]
14. If the employer cannot make the deduction because the respondent is absent from duty or has left employment, the first proviso to Section 13(3) provides that
(a) the matter shall be dropped
(b) the respondent may be directed to pay the sum to the aggrieved woman
(c) the employer shall pay the sum from its own funds
(d) the sum shall be recovered from the woman
Ans. (b) the respondent may be directed to pay the sum to the aggrieved woman — Explanation: The first proviso to Section 13(3) allows a direction to the respondent to pay the sum directly to the aggrieved woman. [Ref: Section 13(3), first proviso]
15. If the respondent fails to pay the sum directed, the Committee may forward the order for recovery
(a) to the bank
(b) to the civil court as a decree
(c) to the police
(d) as an arrear of land revenue to the District Officer
Ans. (d) as an arrear of land revenue to the District Officer — Explanation: The second proviso to Section 13(3) provides for recovery as arrears of land revenue. [Ref: Section 13(3), second proviso]
16. The employer or District Officer must act on the Committee's recommendation within
(a) thirty days
(b) ten days
(c) sixty days of its receipt
(d) ninety days
Ans. (c) sixty days of its receipt — Explanation: Section 13(4) requires action within sixty days. [Ref: Section 13(4)]
17. Under Rule 9, which of these is an action the Committee may recommend where the allegation is proved and no service rules apply?
(a) Fine payable to the Government
(b) Written apology, warning, reprimand or censure
(c) Imprisonment
(d) Cancellation of passport
Ans. (b) Written apology, warning, reprimand or censure — Explanation: Rule 9 lists apology, warning, reprimand, censure, withholding promotion, pay rise or increments, termination, counselling and community service. [Ref: Rule 9]
18. Under Rule 9, the Committee may also recommend
(a) deportation
(b) a criminal fine
(c) undergoing a counselling session or carrying out community service
(d) a jail term
Ans. (c) undergoing a counselling session or carrying out community service — Explanation: Rule 9 includes counselling and community service. [Ref: Rule 9]
19. Termination of service of the respondent
(a) is never possible under the Act
(b) requires a court order
(c) requires the woman's written consent
(d) is one of the actions listed in Rule 9
Ans. (d) is one of the actions listed in Rule 9 — Explanation: Rule 9 includes terminating the respondent from service. [Ref: Rule 9]
20. An employer who fails to act on the Committee's recommendations under Section 13 is liable under
(a) Section 14 to dismissal
(b) Section 26 to a fine up to ₹50,000
(c) Section 17 to a penalty of ₹5,000
(d) no provision
Ans. (b) Section 26 to a fine up to ₹50,000 — Explanation: Section 26(1)(b) covers failure to take action under Sections 13, 14 and 22 of the Act. [Ref: Section 26(1)(b)]
21. Suspension of a respondent during inquiry, based on a prima facie finding, has been upheld by courts as
(a) a punishment requiring full inquiry
(b) a criminal penalty
(c) a preventive measure, not a punishment
(d) illegal in all cases
Ans. (c) a preventive measure, not a punishment — Explanation: Courts have treated suspension as protective of the workplace and the inquiry. [Ref: Allahabad HC, Shailendra Kumar Rai v. State of U.P., 2025]
22. A respondent is a senior manager who supervises the complainant. A common interim relief to protect her during inquiry is
(a) suspending the complainant
(b) reducing her salary
(c) transferring her against her wishes
(d) changing her reporting line so he does not assess her work
Ans. (d) changing her reporting line so he does not assess her work — Explanation: Rule 8 and Section 12 allow relief to protect her, and transfer of the woman must be on her request. [Ref: Section 12; Rule 8]
23. "Withholding of promotion, pay rise or increments" is listed as an action in
(a) Rule 3
(b) Rule 9
(c) Section 12
(d) Section 16
Ans. (b) Rule 9 — Explanation: Rule 9 includes withholding promotion, pay rise or increments. [Ref: Rule 9]
24. The time limit under Section 13(4) applies to
(a) completion of the inquiry
(b) filing of the appeal
(c) action by the employer or District Officer on the recommendation
(d) filing of the complaint
Ans. (c) action by the employer or District Officer on the recommendation — Explanation: Section 13(4) gives sixty days for action on the recommendations. [Ref: Section 13(4)]
25. The inquiry report under Section 13 contains
(a) the employer's financial statements
(b) the police charge sheet
(c) the findings of the Committee and its recommendations
(d) only the respondent's defence
Ans. (c) the findings of the Committee and its recommendations — Explanation: Section 13(1) refers to a report of findings, and Sections 13(2) and 13(3) to recommendations. [Ref: Section 13]
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These questions are prepared for practice from the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 (with the 2013 Rules, and Supreme Court and High Court rulings up to 2026). Check the latest notifications and your service rules before relying on any detail.