POSH Registration norms

Ask the Community Statutory Compliance
1

Hi Team,

When a company has offices across multiple locations in (1) different districts of a single state and (2) in different states, is it mandatory to register each unit separately on the POSH portal? I’ve heard from some people that separate registrations are mandatorily required for each office, rather maintain a centralized registration that covers all offices under one umbrella.

Could you please clarify whether we must go for district-wise registrations, or if a single centralized registration with inclusion of all offices is acceptable? Your insights on this would be very helpful.

3 Likes
2

Hi @Gireesh ,

That’s a very relevant compliance question :+1: Let me clarify how POSH (Prevention of Sexual Harassment) registration on the MCA portal works in India for multi-location companies:

1. Different Districts within the Same State

  • The POSH Act requires that every office, unit, branch, or establishment with 10 or more employees must have an Internal Committee (IC).

  • On the POSH portal (State/District-level), many states require separate registrations per district if you have offices in multiple districts, even within the same state.

  • This is because the District Officer (DO) under POSH monitors compliance locally.

:backhand_index_pointing_right: Example: If your company has offices in Bengaluru Urban and Mysuru districts (both Karnataka), you need to register separately for each district.

2. Offices Across Different States

  • Each state has its own jurisdiction and POSH compliance requirements.

  • So yes, if your company operates in multiple states, you must do separate registrations in each state where you have an office/unit with 10+ employees.

:backhand_index_pointing_right: Example: One office in Karnataka, another in Maharashtra → you must register in both states separately.

3. Centralized vs. Separate Registration

  • A single centralized registration covering all offices under one umbrella is not acceptable as per current practice.

  • Compliance is location-specific because:

    • Each office may have different IC composition.

    • Each District Officer needs visibility of establishments in their jurisdiction.

:backhand_index_pointing_right: You may maintain one central POSH policy & governance structure, but registrations must be done per office/district.

Recommended Approach

  1. Register each office separately on the POSH portal where required.

  2. Maintain a centralized POSH policy at the company level for consistency.

  3. Ensure each office/unit has its own Internal Committee (IC) or shared IC if permitted (with prior approval).

  4. File annual POSH reports separately in each jurisdiction.

In short:

  • Yes, district-wise registration is required if you have offices in different districts of the same state.

  • State-wise separate registration is mandatory for offices in multiple states.

  • A single centralized registration does not fulfil legal requirements.

2 Likes