Hyderabad: Telangana high court has ruled that the Telangana State Human Rights Commission (TGHRC) cannot entertain complaints arising from disputes between private employers and employees when no public servant is involved. Stating that TGHRC lacks inherent or plenary jurisdiction, the court noted that it can inquire into complaints only when allegations or negligence involve a public servant.A division bench, comprising Chief Justice Aparesh Kumar Singh and Justice G M Mohiuddin, passed these directions while quashing TGHRC’s proceedings against Wells Fargo International Solutions, an American multinational financial services company.
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The court disposed of two petitions filed by the firm challenging the commission’s proceedings against it following a complaint by a senior female employee.The court, however, clarified that the employee remains free to pursue other legal remedies before appropriate forums, including employment or workplace harassment laws, directing that any such proceedings be decided independently on their merits.The employee, who joined the firm as an associate financial analyst in 2011 and was promoted to senior commercial loan servicing representative by 2019, alleged continuous workplace harassment by a superior, performance appraisal manipulation, humiliation and victimisation. She stated that this hostile environment caused severe mental trauma and led to a miscarriage. In July 2019, she complained to HR against two colleagues. In Dec 2019, HR closed the inquiry after concluding the allegations were unsubstantiated, prompting her to approach the TGHRC.Wells Fargo challenged the commission’s jurisdiction in the high court, contending that the matter stemmed purely from a private employer-employee relationship. It argued that the Protection of Human Rights Act empowers the commission to inquire only into violations involving public servants, and that workplace disputes cannot be converted into human rights proceedings.The commission and the employee opposed the plea, arguing for a liberal interpretation of the Act because the complaint involved violations of a woman employee’s dignity, equality and fundamental rights, making it distinct from ordinary service disputes.Rejecting those submissions, the court held that: “TGHRC is a statutory body with limited jurisdiction that cannot expand its powers beyond the Act’s clear language.” The bench emphasised that serious allegations, such as workplace harassment or miscarriage, cannot confer jurisdiction where statutory requirements were absent. Observing that procedural regulations govern complaints against public authorities rather than private entities, the court held that the commission exceeded its statutory authority by proceeding against the private firm.
