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42605-B CDR Yogesh Mahla v. Union of India & Others

Not available · 2026 INSC 107Decided 20 Jan 2026
Not available
Justice B.V. Nagarathna · Justice Ujjal Bhuyan

Background

A Navy Commander facing a disciplinary show-cause notice, based on an Internal Complaints Committee's sexual-harassment findings, was told he had no right of appeal under the POSH Act since the notice was only "preliminary."

Decision Breakdown

The Supreme Court held the show-cause notice was directly premised on the Committee's findings, so his real grievance was properly appealable under Section 18 of the POSH Act. It remanded the matter to the Armed Forces Tribunal for fresh adjudication, keeping the notice in abeyance meanwhile.

Lesson Learnt

A person facing action from a POSH Act inquiry committee's findings has an independent statutory right to appeal those findings, even at a "preliminary" show-cause stage.

Official source (sci.gov.in)View Judgment (PDF)

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