KOCHI: The Kerala High Court has stayed for one week the State Information Commission’s (SIC) order directing the state government to release the Justice K Hema Committee report on the issues faced by women in the film industry, with limited redaction.
Justice P M Manoj also directed the SIC, the state government, and five others, who had filed RTI pleas to make the report public, to file counter affidavit. The redacted report was scheduled to be released to the applicants on Wednesday.
The Hema Committee was constituted following the abduction and sexual assault of an actress in 2017. The committee submitted its report to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on December 31, 2019. However, the government has not made it public.
The court issued the order on a petition filed by film producer Sajimon Parayil against the SIC’s order to disclose the report. The petitioner argued that the disclosure violates fundamental privacy rights, breaches the confidentiality promised to witnesses, and goes against public policy.
He emphasised that the order infringes upon the fundamental right to privacy, as upheld by the Supreme Court in Justice K S Puttaswamy vs Union of India case.
AIIMS in Kerala: HC seeks Centre’s response
Kochi: The High Court has directed the Union government to inform whether any decision has been taken regarding the establishment of an All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Kerala. The court said that it is the responsibility of the elected officials to decide on the establishment of AIIMS in Kerala.
Masala bonds case: HC reserves order
Kochi: The High Court on Wednesday reserved its order on petitions filed by former finance minister T M Thomas Isaac and the KIIFB, challenging the ED summons related to alleged violations of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) in the issuance of masala bonds. During the hearing, the ED’s counsel argued that the agency was empowered under FEMA to investigate any purported breaches, asserting its jurisdiction in the matter.
Ball in SIC court, says Saji Cherian
The government has no qualms about releasing the report to the public. “We have no role in the issue. The government has handed over the report to the State Information Commission. It was the SIC which directed the public information officer of the cultural department to release the report under RTI query, after excluding selected pages. Now it’s upto the court to take a final call,” said Cultural Affairs Minister Saji Cherian.