According to the Supreme Court orders, forming a Prevention of Sexual Harassment (PoSH) Committee is mandatory at any workplace with more than 10 women.
Published Sep 17, 2024 | 2:32 PM ⚊ Updated Sep 17, 2024 | 2:32 PM
Karnataka: Women's Commission directs film chamber to set up PoSH panel in 15 days. (iStock)
Karnataka State Commission for Women president Nagalakshmi Chowdhary on Monday, 16 September, instructed the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce (KFCC) to form a committee to tackle complaints related to sexual harassment within the industry.
The commission gave the film industry 15 days to respond on how they will go about forming the committee.
According to the Supreme Court orders, a Prevention of Sexual Harassment (PoSH) Committee is mandatory for any workplace which has more than 10 women.
Addressing the media, Nagalakshmi Chowdhary noted that the presence of a committee is mandatory as per law. “There is no PoSH committee in Kannada cinema, and men are objecting to the forming a committee. I asked them who they were to say no when it is mandatory as per the law. I need to know why there’s no PoSH Committee. Will it be formed? Why will it not be formed? The Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce must submit details about the PoSH Committee within 15 days.”
Further noting that there were fewer women in the meeting, Nagalakshmi Chowdhary said, “Many women have not spoken up. However, women’s safety is of utmost importance to me. For them, I will conduct a survey, distribute a questionnaire, and assess the situations they have experienced.”
She mentioned that based on the survey results, she would sit with the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce, producers’s association, actor’s body, and film industry people besides the government of Karnataka to set up a PoSH committee.
However, the Kannada film producers allegedly opposed the move, claimed a report in The Hindu.
KFCC chairman NM Suresh stated, “The chamber’s responsibility is to address the problems of the industry and provide appropriate solutions. Why do we need an additional committee? We encourage female artistes to come forward and share their concerns with us. So far, neither the Women’s Commission nor the KFCC has received official complaints of sexual harassment from women in the industry.”
Meanwhile, Kavitha Lankesh told IANS that the men in the industry were saying there’s been no problem at all so far, from 90 years, which she won’t believe. “As you know, being journalists anywhere, or any industry, or any workforce, there’s always a problem with women, and they are exploited, and they face many challenges.”
The meeting was attended by senior artistes and producers, including NM Suresh, Rockline Venkatesh, Kavitha Lankesh, Bhavana Ramanna, Sanjana Galrani, Neetu, and Chetan. However, the meeting ended without a consensus.
In early September, following the release of the Justice Hema Committee Report in Kerala, over 150 film professionals called on the Karnataka government to establish a committee led by a retired judge to address sexual harassment in the Kannada film industry.
In a letter dated 4 September, the celebrities urged Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to investigate the systemic issues affecting women in Kannada cinema. The letter was sent on behalf of the Film Industry for Rights and Equality (FIRE), a collective advocating for a safer work environment.
Led by director, screenwriter and lyricist Kavita Lankesh, the FIRE has been seeking reforms in Kannada cinema, particularly in the wake of the #MeToo movement. The group urged the Karnataka government to develop policies to ensure a “healthy and equitable work environment for women” in the industry.
(Edited by Y Krishna Jyothi)
