SHe-Box Portal Registration: The POSH Compliance Mandate Every Startup Must Know

Post View Counter

Post Views : Loading...

What Is SHe-Box?

The Sexual Harassment Electronic Box (SHe-Box) is an online platform launched by India’s Ministry of Women and Child Development. It serves as a centralized digital system for women to confidentially file workplace sexual harassment complaints and track their progress.

Think of it as a grievance redressal infrastructure that operates above your internal complaint mechanisms. It’s designed to:

Provide women with a safe, confidential platform to report sexual harassment

Forward complaints automatically to your Internal Complaints Committee (ICC)

Enable real-time complaint tracking and transparency

Create a centralized deposit for monitoring workplace safety compliance

Support the implementation of the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 (PoSH Act)

Why The Sudden Push for Mandatory Registration?

The momentum behind SHe-Box registration comes from the Supreme Court itself. In December 2024, a Supreme Court bench (in the cases of Aureliano Fernandes v. State of Goa and XYZ v. Union of India) directed states and Union Territories to ensure effective implementation of the PoSH Act.

Following this directive, several states have begun issuing public notices mandating SHe-Box registration:

Delhi (June 12, 2025): The Department of Women and Child Development issued a public notice requiring all public and private organizations, including their subordinate offices, to register on SHe-Box.

Mumbai (April 2025): The Labour Department appealed to establishments to upload IC details on the portal.

Noida (April 2025): The District Probationary Officer instructed all organizations with 10+ employees to register their ICs on SHe-Box.

This isn’t a one-state issue anymore; it’s a multi-state compliance push. Your startup likely falls within the jurisdiction of at least one of these directives.

Who Must Register?

Any organization with 10 or more employees must register on SHe-Box.

This includes:

Startups in the tech sector

E-commerce companies

SaaS platforms

Manufacturing and logistics startups

Subscription-based businesses

Consulting firms

Any other private establishment with 10+ employees

The rule applies regardless of:

Whether your startup is bootstrapped or venture-backed

Your company’s age or stage

Your industry vertical

Your office location (though state-specific directives may apply)

Key requirement: Your organization must have already constituted an Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) under Section 4 of the PoSH Act. SHe-Box registration is the digital layer on top of this existing committee.

What The PoSH Act Requires

Before diving into SHe-Box specifics, understand what the PoSH Act already mandates for your startup:

Section 4: Every workplace with 10+ employees must constitute an Internal Complaints Committee consisting of:

A senior female employee as Presiding Officer

Two employee representatives (preferably with legal, HR, or social work background)

One external member from an NGO or legal background

Section 26: Non-compliance with PoSH Act provisions results in:

Monetary penalty: Up to ₹50,000 for first offense

Repeat offenses: Penalty doubled, and business license/registration may be cancelled or non-renewed

Reputational damage: Compliance violations become public record

SHe-Box registration is now the enforcement mechanism through which the government tracks whether organizations comply with these requirements.

What Happens During SHe-Box Registration?

The registration process has three key steps:

Step 1: Register Your Head Office and Nominate a Nodal Officer

First, you designate a Nodal Officer, typically your HR Manager or HR Head. This person will be the organization’s primary contact for SHe-Box operations.

At this stage, you provide:

Organization’s full legal name

Head office location (state, district, sub-district)

PIN code and complete address

Landline STD code and mobile number

Official email ID (used for login)

Organization’s PAN and GST number

Company registration certificate and supporting documents

Important note: Your Nodal Officer cannot be a member of the ICC. The system requires separate credentials for the Nodal Officer and IC members.

Step 2: Submit for Verification

Once you submit, the information goes to the District Nodal Officer (DNO), a government authority responsible for verifying your details.

The DNO reviews:

Accuracy of submitted information

Authenticity of organizational documents

Legitimacy of the Nodal Officer nomination

This typically takes 5-7 business days.

Step 3: Login and Upload IC Details

Upon approval, the DNO sends login credentials to your Nodal Officer’s registered email. You then log in to the portal and upload:

Names and contact details of all ICC members

ICC member roles (Presiding Officer, members, external member)

Details of all branch offices or workplace locations

Training records for IC members

Once complete, the Presiding Officer of your ICC receives separate login credentials to manage complaints filed through the portal.

The Three-Part Compliance Structure

After registration, your SHe-Box compliance involves three ongoing responsibilities:

1.Receive and Manage Complaints

Women employees can file complaints directly on SHe-Box, which are automatically forwarded to your ICC. The Presiding Officer receives notification and can:

View complaint details (with confidentiality maintained for the complainant)

Track investigation progress

Update complaint status

Assign investigation timelines

Mandatory timeline: All complaints must be resolved within 90 days as per the PoSH Act.

2.File Annual Compliance Reports

Every year (typically by January 31), your organization must file an Annual PoSH Compliance Report, including

Total complaints received

Number of complaints resolved

Number of complaints under investigation beyond 90 days

Nature of actions taken

Details of training and awareness programs conducted

Total employee headcount and number trained on PoSH

This report is reviewed by the Ministry of Women and Child Development for compliance monitoring.

3.Update IC and Training Information

The SHe-Box portal requires ongoing updates:

When ICC members change or rotate

When new branches or offices are added

When IC members undergo training

When awareness or sensitization programs are conducted

Conclusion

The registration process, while detailed, is straightforward. It takes 2-3 weeks from start to finish. Most importantly, it demonstrates to your team, investors, and regulators that your startup is committed to creating a safe, accountable workplace.

For more startup compliance guidance and resources, stay tuned to The Startup Zone.

Connect With Our Experts

Name*

Mobile*

Email*

Choose Your Services

Referrer URL

GCLID

Captcha validation failed. If you are not a robot then please try again.

About The Author