September 10, 2024: The Kerala High Court criticized the state government on Tuesday for its failure to act on the Justice K Hema Committee report, which exposed widespread sexual assault and exploitation of women in the Malayalam film industry.

A special bench consisting of Justice AK Jayasankaran Nambiar and Justice C S Sudha condemned the government's inaction, directing the Special Investigation Team (SIT) formed to investigate the report to submit an action taken report. The court’s criticism was sharp, highlighting that the report, submitted in 2019, had languished for four years without any legal proceedings.

"We are primarily concerned with the inaction of the state, including the failure to register FIRs," the court stated. "You have done nothing in four years except sit on the report."

The judges emphasized that the government's "silence" was unacceptable and insisted on the need for a significant shift in addressing "bias and discrimination" against women.

The Justice Hema Committee, formed in 2017, was tasked with investigating allegations of harassment in the Malayalam film industry. The committee’s findings, released publicly on August 19, 2024, have ignited public outcry and demands for accountability.