The Supreme Court bench presided over by Justice Dipak Misra and Prafulla C pant strictly warned the Cine Costume Make -Up Artists and Hair Dressers Association (CCMAA) to initiate contempt of court proceedings against the office bearers if they fail to comply the direction with regard to the issuance of member ship to a woman professional in their association.
Ms Charu Khurana a woman make-up and hairstylist by profession was denied member ship in CCMAA for the reason that she is a female professional. Ms Khurana filed petition before the Apex Court against the discriminatory clauses of association that denied member ship for women make up artist and another clause of mandating the applicant for member ship to be a resident of Maharashtra for five years. Any one who is not the member of the association wouldn’t be allowed to work in the industry and these discriminatory provisions of the association was framed with the ill intention of prohibiting women make up artists in the film industry.
On November 10th 2014, Honorable Supreme Court had struck down the provisions of CCMAA that prohibited the member ship of women professionals in the association and the residential clause of five years in Maharashtra.
Ms Khurana had given two cheques for the membership that was earlier fixed at Rs 5000 and later increased to Rs One lakh. She submitted before the Honorable bench that even after her two visits to Association office in Mumbai, the office bearers refused to receive her and issuance of member ship. The Apex Court reprimanded the counsel of CCMAA putting question that whether they would like to be in Tihar jail, if they fail to receive the cheques from Ms Khurana or her representatives along with the order of the Apex Court.
Court also warned the Association stating that they shouldn’t commit any discrimination between men and women as this is the time to accept everything in its entirety. Any failure in issuance of member ship certificate pursuant to the verdict would subject to violation of court order and would initiate contempt of court proceedings as already affirmed by the Supreme Court.
by Dhanya R.