Hema commission report : Citing privacy, Kerala High Court stays the release of the findings by a week
Ernakulam : Further delaying the much awaited release of the Hema commission report, the Kerala High Court has stayed the release of the Justice Hema Commission report following a petition against its disclosure citing privacy. The court sought the response of the State government and Right to Information Commission before staying the release by a week. The petition will now be considered on August 1.
Malayalam film producer Sajimon Parayil approached the High Court against the release of the report where the petitioner argued that the privacy of the individuals in the film industry would be violated with the report’s release. Sajimon Parayil argued that the report would even endanger those who share the information on the film industry. Citing the privacy issue, the petitioner said adding that the release of the report must be stayed.
The Kerala government was expected to release today morning following the findings of the report submitted by Justice Hema Commission, which studied the hardships faced by women in the Malayalam film industry. Sections affecting the privacy of individuals and potentially identifying them were not be published, as per the order of the State’s Right to Information Commission. The 233-page portion of the report was to be handed over to the five individuals who filed the appeals before the committee.
Justice Hema commission report
The Justice Hema committee was formed months after the 2017 actress assault case, involving actor Dileep, to study issues of sexual harassment and gender inequality in the Malayalam film industry. Besides Justice K Hema, actor Sharada and former IAS officer KB Vatsala Kumari were members of the committee. Although the report was submitted on December 31, 2019, the Kerala government has not released it yet as it was suspected to contain sensitive information.
The South Indian actress, who has worked in Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam films, was allegedly abducted and was sexually assaulted in her car for two hours by some of the accused, who had forced their way into the vehicle on the night of February 17, 2017, and later escaped in a busy area. The entire act was filmed by some of the accused to blackmail the survivor. There are 10 accused in the case, in which actor Dileep, the eighth accused, was also arrested and sent to jail. He was released after the court granted him bail. The case is pending and the final verdict is yet to be pronounced.
The sensational case had made huge rumblings within the film industry where many of the co-actors and colleagues of the 8th accused Dileep and the victim were questioned as part of the investigation. The investigation and the subsequent revelations had also brought to light instances of work place harassment within the cinema industry. The issue was taken up by not just the regional media, but the national media also leading to interrogation of many prominent figures in the Malayalam cinema industry.
Sajimon Parayil argued that the report would even endanger those who share the information on the film industry. Citing the privacy issue, the petitioner said adding that the release of the report must be stayed. Kerala States News India: Top News India, States News, States News Headlines, Online State News India, State Politics news
