"Aren't you 6 years late?" Kerala High Court on plea against formation of Justice Hema Committee

The Kerala High Court has sought the state government’s response to a plea challenging the formation of the Justice Hema Committee, which was constituted in 2017 to examine the working conditions of women in the Malayalam film industry. The petitioner argued that the committee was formed without proper consultation with the cabinet, law department, or financial department, making its formation unconstitutional. The court questioned the delay in filing the petition and directed the state to file its counter-arguments. The court also ordered the continuation of ongoing investigations based on the committee’s findings, which have revealed widespread sexual abuse and gender discrimination in the industry.