Kerala High Court Rejects Renjini’s Plea to Block Release of Hema Committee Report

News Mania Desk/Agnibeena Ghosh/19th August 2024

In a recent legal development, the Kerala High Court has rejected actor Renjini’s request to prevent the release of the Justice Hema Committee report, which addresses issues faced by women in the Malayalam film industry. The court has directed Renjini to file a new appeal with the single bench of the court.

Renjini, known for her roles in several successful Malayalam films during the late 1990s, had sought the intervention of the division bench after a single bench had allowed the State Information Office (SIC) to release the report. The single bench had previously dismissed a similar petition filed by film producer Sajimon Parayil, challenging the SIC’s decision to publish the report. Renjini’s appeal was thus brought before the division bench, which also appeared to be in line to review the matter.

On Monday morning, the division bench, consisting of Acting Chief Justice A Muhammad Mustaque and Justice S Manu, initially postponed the case. The bench reconvened to deliberate further after addressing other daily court proceedings. During this session, the government pleader stated that the report would be released in two parts. The first part, which maintains anonymity, will be made public, while the second part, which includes appendices and witness statements, will remain confidential to protect the interests of the witnesses.

Renjini’s legal counsel argued that the release of the report, which includes statements from her and 41 other individuals who had provided input to the committee, breaches the confidentiality assurances given during the report’s compilation. The counsel contended that the state’s decision to release the report without notifying the actor contravenes Section 11 of the RTI Act, which deals with protecting the privacy of individuals involved in such proceedings.

The court inquired whether Renjini was a direct victim of the issues highlighted in the report. Her counsel responded that Renjini faced professional setbacks after a successful film, including a year-long hiatus from acting before returning to the industry. Despite her claims, the court observed that the proper course of action for Renjini was to file a writ appeal before the single bench rather than the division bench.

The court declined Renjini’s request for an adjournment until August 23 and instructed her to file the writ appeal with the single bench promptly. Consequently, the division bench’s dismissal of the current petition signifies that Renjini must pursue her objections to the report’s release through the designated legal channels.

As the situation unfolds, the Kerala government’s decision to release the Hema Committee report remains on hold until the single bench reviews the fresh appeal. This ongoing legal battle underscores the complex dynamics of transparency and confidentiality in sensitive matters within the film industry.