High Court gets Namrata Tiwary as its second editor, and a member of its Internal Complaints Committee under Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013

Namrata Tiwary has been appointed as the second editor of Patna High Court on January 15, 2025. She is one of the 99 officers of the High Court's Registry. She is a law graduate. As editor she is supposed to monitor all machine translation related activities. She entered judiciary through Bihar Superior Judicial Service on August 13, 2018. She will retire on July 31, 2035. Prior to her posting as editor, she was Principal Judge (Family Court), Muzaffarpur since February 7, 2024. She served as Principal Judge (Family Court), Kaimur, Bhabhua during May 11, 2022-February 6, 2024. She had served as Additional District and Sessions Judge, Gaya during August 13, 2018.

At present, she is also one of the three members of the Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) constituted under Section 4 of the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 and Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Rules, 2013. The ICC is headed by Justice Gunnu Anupama Chakravarthy. The third member is Surya Nilambari, Advocate of the High Court. The email provided for Prevention of Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace Committee, Patna High Court is: sankalpvahini@nic.in which appears to be the email of Registrar (Establishment), Patna High Court, not of the Committee.  

 

The Home page of the Prevention of Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace Committee, Patna High Court displays the name of Acting Chief Justice Ashutosh Kumar and Justice Anupama Chakravarthy, not of the members of the Prevention of Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace Committee, Patna High Court. 

Section 4 of the Act deals with the constitution of Internal Complaints Committee. Section 4 (1) reads: Every employer of a workplace shall, by an order in writing, constitute a Committee to be known as the “Internal Complaints Committee...” Section 4 (2) reads: The Internal Committees shall consist of the following members to be nominated by the employer, namely: — (a) a Presiding Officer who shall be a woman employed at a senior level at workplace from amongst the employees: Provided that in case a senior level woman employee is not available, the Presiding Officer shall be nominated from other offices or administrative units of the workplace referred to in sub-section(1): Provided further that in case the other offices or administrative units of the workplace do not have a senior level woman employee, the Presiding Officer shall be nominated from any other workplace of the same employer or other department or organisation;
(b) not less than two Members from amongst employees preferably committed to the cause of women or who have had experience in social work or have legal knowledge;
(c) one member from amongst non-governmental organisations or associations committed to the cause of women or a person familiar with the issues relating to sexual harassment: Provided that at least one-half of the total Members so nominated shall be women. 

Section 4 (3) reads: "The Presiding Officer and every Member of the Internal Committee shall hold office for such period, not exceeding three years, from the date of their nomination as may be specified by the employer."
Section 4 (4) reads:"The Member appointed from amongst the non-governmental organisations or associations shall be paid such fees or allowances for holding the proceedings of the Internal Committee, by the employer, as may be prescribed."
Section 4 (5) reads: "Where the Presiding Officer or any Member of the Internal Committee,—(a) contravenes the provisions of section 16; or (b) has been convicted for an offence or an inquiry into an offence under any law for the time being in force is pending against him; or (c) he has been found quilty in any disciplinary proceedings or a disciplinary proceeding is pending against him; or (d) has so abused his position as to render his continuance in office prejudicial to the public interest, such Presiding Officer or Member, as the case may be, shall be removed from the Committee and the vacancy so created or any casual vacancy shall be filled by fresh nomination in accordance with the provisions of this section."

Prior to appointment of Namrata Tiwari as editor, Shweta Kumari Singh was appointed as the first editor of Patna High Court by the Chief Justice of the High Court. She has been transferred and posted as Principal District and Sessions Judge, Muzaffarpur. Her appointment as editor was made subsequent to creation of one post of the editor by the General Administration Department, Government of Bihar. A notification dated April 4, 2024 was issued by P. K. Malik, Registrar General, High Court in this regard. 

 

Notably, Brajesh Kumar Singh, Additional District and Session Judge, Aurangabad been transferred but Mukesh Kumar, Additional Principal Judge, Katihar who was appointed as Sub-editor of the High Court by the Chief Justice since April 10, 2024 remains in his position. 

In place of Brajesh Kumar Singh, now Anand Kumar Singh has been appointed as Sub-Editor, Patna High Court since February 1, 2025. He is a law graduate recruited through B.P.S.C. He entered judiciary through Bihar Subordinate Judicial Service on May 10, 2007. He will retire on December 31, 2038..

 

In a routine transfer, Nivedita Kumari, Civil Judge (Senior Division), Jehanabad since December 19, 2024 has been appointed as a Research Officer of the Juvenile Justice Secretariat, Patna High Court. She has a Masters in Law. Her posting date at the the High Court is January 28, 2025. In another routine transfer, High Court has appointed Kajal Jhamb, Principal District and Sessions Judge, Khagaria as Registrar (Administration) by its notification dated February 15, 2025. She has a Masters in Law. She was directed to make over charge of her present assignment in consultation with Prajesh Kumar, Registrar (Administration), Patna High Court, Patna and to join her new assignment soon thereafter. It seems she is yet to join in her new position. The list of officers of the Registry does not mention her name.   

Also read: Supreme Court Gender Sensitisation and Internal Complaints Committee (GSICC) reconstituted, reference to complaints omitted from GSICC Annual Report since 2022