Decision on PoSH panel to address sexual harassment complaints deferred, says filmmaker Lankesh
Bengaluru: The decision taken by the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce to form a PoSH committee headed by her to address sexual harassment complaints has been deferred, said filmmaker Kavitha Lankesh on Tuesday.
KFCC had constituted a 10-member Complaints Internal Committee under the Prevention of Sexual Harassment Act on December 1, Lankesh told PTI.
Incidentally, Lankesh is the president of Film Industry for Rights and Equality , an organisation that fights for women's rights and against abuse in the Kannada film industry.
FIRE has been pushing KFCC to form a committee on the lines of Justice Hema Committee that has encouraged many women to come out with their complaints against sexual predators in the Malayalam film industry.
"We had a meeting, and it was decided that I would be heading the committee," added Lankesh.
But now she has been informed that the decision has been deferred pending the election of new office-bearers, she said.
"I have been told that KFCC will convene a meeting post the election on December 15 and will decide on the committee on December 16. But people I know have told me that there was stiff opposition among some of the KFCC members for appointing me as the head of the committee," said Lankesh.
Actors Pramila Joshi and Sruthi Hariharan were also part of the committee, she said. Others included Karnataka Sexual Minorities Forum state coordinator Mallu Kumbar, women's rights activist Vimala K S, journalist Muralidhar Khajane, producer Sa Ra Govinda, playwright Shashikany Yadahalli and lawyer Rajalaxmi Ankalagi as well as KFCC president N M Suresh.
Suresh also confirmed to PTI that the decision had been deferred.
"I do not have the right to sign this order now as I am leaving the office. Since elections are underway, we decided to wait for the new office-bearers to take charge and then issue the formal order," said Suresh, refuting allegations that KFCC members are objecting to Lankesh being appointed as head.
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Delegation requests for Karnataka HC Bench in coastal districts, hands petition to Chief Justice
Udupi: A delegation of the High Court Bench Struggle Committee met and submitted a petition to the Karnataka High Court Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru at the Circuit House urging the opening of a High Court Bench in the coastal belt as well as a Mobile High Court Bench in Mangaluru.
MLC and convener of the Committee Ivan D’Souza, who spoke to the Chief Justice on the occasion, explained that the people of the coastal belt find it difficult to travel to Bengaluru to fight a petition in the High Court. The problem only aggravated during monsoon. D’Souza added that there was a delay in clearing the cases of Udupi, Chikkamagaluru and Kodagu districts, which was causing further inconvenience to the people.
The MLC, who pointed out that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had also shown his preference for establishing a High Court Bench in the coastal region, requested for an approval to establish a Mobile High Court Bench first.
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Responding to this request, Chief Justice Bakhru assured to take action on the request as soon as possible.
The delegation included Mangalore Bar Association President Raghavendra HV, Dakshina Kannada Principal Government Pleader MP Noronha, General Secretary Sridhar H, Udupi Bar Association President Reynold Praveen Kumar, General Secretary Chandrashekhar Shetty, Vice-president Devadas V Shettigar and Brahmavar Bar Association President Kadoor Praveen Shetty.
