Kochi: The Kerala High Court sought an explanation from the Government of India and the state government regarding the petition demanding the implementation of the report of Justice Hema Commission which studied the problems faced by women in the film industry. The division bench comprising the chief justice was considering the petition filed by a Malappuram-based organization ‘Disha’.
The petition stated that though the Commission had submitted its report in December 2019, the government has not taken any further action yet. The government on its part explained that local complaint committees have been formed in 14 districts as per Section 6 of Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal Act) 2013 and 258 nodal officers have been appointed.
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The petition demanded that action including criminal cases should be registered on the basis of the complaints filed before the commission by women from the film industry. During the argument, the court observed that the implementation of the commission report was a matter within the discretionary powers of the government. The case will be taken up again after four weeks.
The Commission was constituted by the Kerala government in June 2017 in the wake of the sexual assault of an actor in February 2017. Headed by a former judge of the Kerala High Court Justice K. Hema, the Commission had actor Sarada and former civil servant KB Valsala Kumari as members. Media reports had pointed to the delay in the Commission filing its report. Finally, a report was submitted to the government almost two-and-a-half years after its inception.
The Commission had found that remedial action and legislative support were the options to ensure that women are not sexually or otherwise exploited in the film industry. The commission suggested that a Tribunal be set up and powers be vested in it to debar offenders for a certain period.
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