Punjab & Sind Bank Women Officers Denied Restrooms During Peaceful Protest

In a troubling incident that raises questions about gender sensitivity and human rights at the workplace, women officers of Punjab & Sind Bank were reportedly denied access to restroom facilities. The incident occurred during a peaceful and lawful protest held at NBCC Complex, East Kidwai Nagar, New Delhi, on April 9, 2025. The protest was organized by the All India Punjab & Sind Bank Officers’ Federation (AIPSBOF), which has now written to multiple authorities, including the Ministry of Women & Child Development and the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), seeking immediate action.

The protest, which followed all due legal procedures under the Industrial Disputes Act, was part of an ongoing agitation to highlight key issues faced by the bank’s officers. A formal strike notice had been submitted on March 30, 2025. Despite this, women protesters were allegedly denied access to basic sanitation facilities available at the NBCC Complex, which is a public premises, not owned by the bank.

According to AIPSBOF, the denial came on the alleged instructions of senior bank officials, HRD personnel, and security staff. Protesters were reportedly told that an old e-court order prohibited them from using the facilities—a justification the federation called irrelevant and deliberately misleading.

In its letter to the authorities, AIPSBOF stated that the female officers were made to suffer indignity and humiliation. The federation argues the situation was not only insensitive but also unlawful, given the clear violation of multiple legal and constitutional protections.

The federation cited the following as key areas of violation:

• Article 21 of the Constitution, which guarantees the right to life with dignity;

• The POSH Act (Prevention of Sexual Harassment at the Workplace), which includes protection against denial of basic amenities;

• Sanitation and workplace safety guidelines issued by the Ministry of Women & Child Development, which emphasize the need for access to clean and safe toilet facilities for women.

AIPSBOF has made four specific demands:

1. An immediate and impartial investigation into the actions of the officials involved.

2. Disciplinary measures against those responsible for denying basic human needs to protesting women.

3. A directive ensuring that public premises like NBCC are not used as tools of suppression.

4. An official communication to Punjab & Sind Bank management reinforcing the principles of equality, lawful conduct, and protest rights.

Image: The letter by All India Punjab & Sind Bank Officers’ Federation to the WCD Ministry and NHRC, seeking action over denial of restroom access to women during a peaceful protest.

Image: The letter by All India Punjab & Sind Bank Officers’ Federation to the WCD Ministry and NHRC, seeking action over denial of restroom access to women during a peaceful protest.

“This is not merely a case of administrative lapse—it is a direct blow to the dignity and rights of women officers who chose to protest peacefully and legally,” the letter stated. AIPSBOF President Parduman and General Secretary Charanjeev Joshi signed the document, urging the concerned ministries and commissions to intervene without delay.

The federation has also escalated the matter to the Chief Labour Commissioner, Ministry of Finance, and the National Commission for Women. It has warned that failure to act could result in legal proceedings and more widespread protests in the future.

This incident, coming at a time when gender equity and workplace dignity are widely discussed, has triggered widespread condemnation on social media and within banking circles. Many have questioned how, in 2025, female professionals can still be subjected to such treatment while exercising their constitutional rights.

AIPSBOF's message is clear: peaceful protest is a democratic right, and no officer—man or woman—should be humiliated or harassed for demanding fair treatment.