The Kerala High Court is set to hear a petition today challenging the release of the Justice K Hema Committee Report on women’s working conditions in the film industry
The petition was filed by Malayalam film producer Sajimon Parayil, who seeks to overturn an order by the State Information Commission mandating the report’s disclosure.
The petition is listed for hearing before the bench of Justice PM Manoj.
The plea argues that implementing the State Information Commission’s order would negatively impact the film industry by compromising individual privacy, breaching confidentiality, and potentially damaging the reputations and livelihoods of those involved, including individuals who provided testimonials and shared their viewpoints.
The Justice K Hema Committee was established by the Kerala government following a petition filed by the ‘Women in Cinema Collective’ in 2017. The committee was tasked with studying the issues faced by women in the film industry, and it submitted its report to the government in 2019. Despite numerous requests under the Right to Information Act, the State declined to make the report public.
On July 5, the State Information Commission directed that portions of the Justice K Hema Committee report be disclosed. However, the petition before the High Court alleges that only limited redactions have been ordered before the report’s release.
The petitioner contends that the order passed by the Information Commission is against public interest and violates the privacy of various individuals, including the petitioner. The plea further argues that the disclosure would breach the confidentiality assured to those who provided testimony, potentially exposing them to retaliation and harassment.
(With inputs from agency)
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