Earlier, we had reported the State Information Commission (SIC) issued a directive to reveal the findings of the Justice Hema Committee report. However, the latest development is that the Kerala High Court has stayed the release of the Hema Committee Report on the challenges faced by women in the film industry, just hours before its scheduled publication at 3:30 pm on Wednesday. The stay, effective for one week, follows a petition by actor-producer Sajimon Parayil, who sought to overturn the RTI Commission's directive to publish the report and to suspend all related proceedings immediately.
Parayil argued that publicising the Hema Committee Report could infringe on privacy rights, emphasising the need for confidentiality. He claimed that those seeking access to the report were not the individuals who provided testimonies to the Committee, but were motivated by the pursuit of fame and personal gain. The Kerala High Court has issued notices to the opposing parties involved in the matter.
The report, submitted to the State government of Kerala five years ago, addresses sexual harassment and gender inequality in the Malayalam film industry. As per the SIC order on July 6, only information barred under the Right to Information Act and details impacting the privacy of those involved should be withheld. The committee, led by former Justice K Hema, was formed in 2017 in the aftermath of the sexual assault of a female actor in Kochi.
