Kerala Government’s Response to Sexual Harassment in Film Industry
KOCHI: The Kerala state government has informed the High Court that the special investigation team (SIT) formed to investigate sexual harassment cases in the cinema industry has received eight complaints since the appointment of a nodal officer. Out of these, FIRs have been lodged for five complaints, while three have been transferred to the appropriate police stations.
Advocate General K Gopalakrishna Kurup provided these updates in response to pleas urging action on the Justice K Hema Committee report, which focuses on the working conditions of women in the film industry. A total of 40 cases have been registered based on sexual harassment complaints from industry professionals.
Legal Developments in the Malayalam Film Industry
The Kerala Film Chamber of Commerce has filed a petition to be included in the Women in Cinema Collective (WCC) petition, which aims to enforce a code of conduct in the Malayalam film industry. Despite WCC’s opposition, the bench of Justices A K Jayasankaran Nambiar and C S Sudha allowed the impleadment.
Amicus Curiae Mitha Sudhindran submitted a draft model legislation to regulate the entertainment industry by establishing the Kerala Entertainment Industry Regulatory Authority (KEIRA). This authority will act as a central registry for film and entertainment project titles, ensuring proper documentation.
Future Steps and Tribunal Proposal
The draft law also proposes the creation of a Kerala Entertainment Industrial Tribunal, headed by a retired High Court judge, to address appeals from KEIRA’s decisions. The High Court has scheduled further discussions on this matter for February 6.
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