The Kannada Film Chamber of Commerce (KFCC) has put its newly formed Internal Committee (IC) under the Prevention of Sexual Harassment (PoSH) Act on hold, hours after its announcement on Monday, December 2. Though the chamber has cited the election code of conduct as the reason for the withholding, insiders suggest resistance within KFCC against the committee’s formation. The elections to the KFCC are scheduled to take place on December 14.
The 11-member committee, which was to be chaired by filmmaker Kavitha Lankesh, aimed to address sexual harassment issues in the Kannada film industry.
The committee was formed after a strict intervention from the Karnataka State Women’s Commission for failing to comply with PoSH Act mandates. The Commission had written to the Bengaluru district administration on November 28, demanding immediate action against KFCC.
KFCC, under pressure, announced the committee, and went back on it within hours. They have now claimed that newly elected office bearers would finalise the committee after December 14.
However, Nagalakshmi Chowdhary, chairperson of the Karnataka State Women’s Commission, dismissed this justification. “The code of conduct for elections does not apply here. They had formed the committee according to the mandate of 50% women members, advocates, and activists, but now they’ve put it on hold,” Chowdhary told TNM, expressing disappointment over the chamber’s indecision.
“The official reason may be elections, but the real issue is internal conflict. Many members were opposed to the committee’s formation," a source close to the developments said.
Chowdhary said that the Commission will wait until December 14 for KFCC to finalise the committee. “If no action is taken by then, we will proceed with necessary steps to ensure compliance,” she told TNM.
The demand for an Internal Committee (IC) in Sandalwood—as the Kannada film industry is popularly called—gained momentum after the Hema Committee report on the Malayalam film industry laid bare systemic issues, including widespread sexual harassment and inadequate working conditions. The report's revelations triggered calls for similar oversight mechanisms across regional film industries, including Kannada cinema.
The push to establish a PoSH committee in Sandalwood has met with resistance. TNM had earlier reported that several women attendees at a meeting convened by the Karnataka State Women’s Commission, faced challenges in voicing their concerns, with some alleging they were silenced during discussions.
The KFCC’s earlier communications with the Women’s Commission, including a letter dated September 18, requested deadline extensions but lacked a comprehensive action plan to address critical issues such as workplace safety and the welfare of women in the industry.