Well-being of school-going children in sexual harassment cases is of paramount consideration as the long-term effects of such incidents are insurmountable, the Delhi High Court has said while upholding the penalty of compulsory retirement of a physics teacher who sexually harassed a class 9 student.

The court said a minor's mental psyche is vulnerable, impressionable and in a developing stage and sexual harassment has the potential to cause mental trauma which may dictate the child's thought process for years to come. A bench of Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Subramonium Prasad said the act can have the effect of hindering normal social growth of the child and lead to various psycho-social problems which could require psychological intervention.