Producer moves HC against making public Hema Commission Report

KOCHI: A plea has been filed in the Kerala High Court against releasing the report of the Justice Hema Commission entrusted to study the problems of women in the film industry. Producer Sajimon Parayil filed the plea in the high court. The plea demanded to quash state information commissioner Dr A A Abdul Hakeem’s order to make public the report.

It has also been demanded to stay the proceedings on the order as soon as possible. The commission also directed that no information should be withheld except what is prohibited under the RTI Act. The commission also clarified that the government secretary should ensure that the order has been fully implemented.

It is heard that the report will be made public by the culture department at 3 pm today. The report will not contain information that affects the privacy of individuals. Although the report was submitted on December 31st in 2019, the government had not released it. Actress Sharada and former IAS officer K B Valsala Kumari were members of the commission.

The committee studied the problems faced by women in the film industry including actresses and the hardships they faced. From leading heroines to women working in the technology sector, they had given their statements before the committee. Justice Hema Commission was appointed after Women in Cinema Collective (WCC) had submitted a memorandum to the chief minister after the attack on an actress.