High Court stays release of Hema Commission Report on producer’s plea

KOCHI: The Kerala High Court imposed a temporary stay on releasing the Justice Hema Commission report. The stay was following the plea filed by producer Sajimon Parayil. The court intervened at a time when there were only a few hours to make public the report. The stay will be for only a week. Sajimon’s plea demanded to quash state information commissioner Dr A A Abdul Hakeem’s order to make public the report.

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.

Justice Hema appointed the commission to study the problems of women in the film industry. Actress Sarada and former IAS officer K B Valsala Kumari were members of the commission. 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 technical area had given their statements before the committee. Paragraph 96 of page 49 of the report and paragraphs 165 to 196 of pages 81 to 100 and appendix are exempted from disclosure. 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.