Kochi: The High Court on Tuesday dismissed the plea filed by film producer Sajimon Parayil, seeking not to release the contents of the Justice Hema Committee report, which was formed to study the problems of women in the Malayalam film industry, putting an end to the uncertainty over the same. A single bench of Justice V G Arun heard the plea. The report is now expected to be released within a week.

The petitioner, a small-time film producer, had contended that the report was an invasion of privacy. Sajimon had pointed out in the petition that the report was prepared without hearing the side of the accused. The Culture Department and the State Information Commission (SIC) have taken the stand in the court that they can publish the report without personal references. Women in Cinema Collective (WCC) and Women's Commission were parties to the petition.

Following his petition, submitted on July 19,  the Kerala High Court had earlier issued a one-week stay on the report's release on the day the Kerala state government was set to release the report on July 24. 

Justice V G Arun, who was presiding over the case, concluded the hearing on July 31 and stated that an order would be issued on August 13. The single bench had on July 31 also made an oral observation questioning why the report should not be released in the public interest.

The petitioner had also stated that disclosure of information would infringe on the privacy of several individuals in the film industry. It was also argued that publishing the report would constitute a breach of confidentiality for the witnesses who provided testimony in the report. However, the Kerala Women’s Commission and the Women in Cinema Collective (WCC) opposed the petitioner's plea. They argued that the report, which deals with the pervasive issues faced by women in the film industry, should be made public to serve its intended purpose. The WCC raised concerns about the petitioner's bona fides, suggesting that the motives behind the petition were suspicious.

Counsel for the SIC supported the public release of the report, emphasising that it would aid in improving the conditions for women in the industry. The counsel highlighted that the SIC had already taken measures to protect individuals' privacy by redacting sensitive information, including names and personal details, in compliance with Section 11 of the RTI Act.

In response, the State government pleader had argued that the petition was not maintainable, as the petitioner lacked the standing to challenge the SIC’s order.

The genesis of the Justice Hema Committee report dates back to an incident of assault on a female actor, which led the state government to form a three-member committee in July 2017. The committee, headed by retired Kerala High Court judge Justice K Hema, was tasked with investigating sexual harassment and gender inequality in the Malayalam film industry. The 300-page report, submitted in December 2019, includes comprehensive documentation, audio and video evidence supporting its findings.