Kerala High Court stays release of Hema Committee Report in eleventh hour

Kochi: Just hours before its scheduled release of the Hema Committee Report on challenges faced by women in the film industry, the High Court has stayed the move. The stay, effective for one week, comes amidst last-minute legal proceedings just hours before the scheduled release at 3:30 pm on Wednesday. The High Court has also issued notices to the opposing parties involved in the matter.

The stay order follows a plea filed by filmmaker Sajimon Parayil, seeking to overturn the RTI Commission's directive to publish the Hema Committee report on issues of justice denial and working conditions faced by the women in the film industry, and to suspend all proceedings related to the Commission's order immediately.

The petitioner's primary argument is centred around concerns that publicising information from the Hema Committee report could infringe on privacy rights, emphasising the need for confidentiality. Filmmaker Sajimon Parayil argued in court that individuals seeking access to the report are not those who provided testimonies to the Committee, but rather seeking it for fame and personal gain. These issues were raised during a hearing at the Kerala High Court in response to a petition urging the non-release of the Justice Hema Committee's findings.

The Hema Committee, established as the country's first Commission to investigate challenges faced by women in the film industry and related issues, was formed following a petition by the WCC (Women in Cinema Collective). The report, initially scheduled for release five years after its formation, remains a contentious topic as concerns over public interest versus privacy continue to be debated.

Meanwhile, the Information Commissioner had suggested the government release a censored report that safeguard individual identities and privacy rights. 

The High Court was informed that the report will be published only after excluding certain sections identified by the RTI Commission.