The Kerala High Court on Thursday, December 19, extended the jurisdiction of the nodal officer appointed to address complaints of sexual harassment in the Malayalam film industry, allowing grievances from individuals who did not testify before the Justice Hema Committee.
The decision enables women who were unable to appear before the committee to submit their complaints to the nodal officer, ensuring wider access to redressal mechanisms.
A Special Bench comprising Justice AK Jayasankaran Nambiar and Justice CS Sudha issued the order while hearing a plea filed by the Women in Cinema Collective (WCC). The court directed that complaints received by the nodal officer be forwarded to the Special Investigation Team (SIT) for further inquiry.
In an earlier directive, the court had instructed the SIT to appoint a nodal officer to prevent intimidation or threats against witnesses by the accused or others. Following this, the state government appointed G. Poonguzhali, IPS, Assistant Inspector General of Coastal Security, as the nodal officer and primary point of contact for victims.
During the hearing, Senior Advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan, representing the WCC, questioned whether complaints from those who did not testify before the Justice Hema Committee could be considered. Addressing this, the court stated that extending the nodal officer’s jurisdiction would allow individuals in the film industry facing harassment or abuse to confidentially report their grievances.
The court clarified that complaints could be submitted until January 31, 2025.
"It would be desirable to extend the jurisdiction of the nodal officer to cover even those grievances raised by persons in the film industry who have not approached the Hema Committee. Any such person can submit individual grievances regarding harassment or abuse faced by them to the nodal officer, who will forward them to the SIT for investigation," the court said, as per Live Law.
The bench further clarified that the extension aims to ensure confidentiality. "This window is open only for this specific purpose. If you have a complaint of harassment, you can always approach a police station. The only advantage through this mechanism is confidentiality. At a regular police station, your name will appear as the complainant," the court observed.
The move marks a significant step in addressing longstanding grievances of women in the Malayalam film industry, ensuring a safe and secure avenue for victims to report harassment.