Thiruvananthapuram: The long-awaited Hema Committee report will be made public on August 17. The report will be issued with sections that could impact privacy removed. The Information Commissioner had earlier ordered the release of the report. However, producer Sajimon Parayil challenged this decision by filing a petition in the High Court, following which the release was stayed by the court. However, on Wednesday, the High Court dismissed the plea and gave the government a week to release the report.
Earlier, producer Sajimon Parayil challenged this decision in the High Court. However, the court has rejected his petition and given the government a week to release the report.
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The report, which is 233 pages long, will exclude certain parts that were deemed sensitive. Specifically, excerpts from pages 49, pages 81 to 100, and sections containing private statements will be left out. Sajimon Parayil had previously filed a petition to delay the report’s release, leading to a temporary halt, but the court has now cleared the way for publication.
The Hema Committee is the first commission in the country to study the problems faced by women in the film industry, denial of justice and working conditions.
The genesis of the Justice Hema Committee report dates back to an incident of assault on an actor, which led the state government to form a three-member committee in July 2017. The committee consisted of former High Court Judge K Hema, yesteryear actor Sarada and Rt IAS officer K B Vatsalakumari. A petition given by Women in Cinema Collective, a union of women in the Malayalam film industry, also catered to the formation of the committee.
The state government had asked the committee to submit its study report within six months. The committee submitted its report to the government in December, 2019. Even after five years, there has been no discussion or action taken on the report. Moreover, the WCC members demanded the release of the report, but the government refused.
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.
Published: 15 Aug 2024, 12:59 pm IST
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