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Supreme Court slams Bollywood's make-up body for non-compliance of order

The Supreme Court on Monday slammed a make-up artists association for not enrolling women despite its order observing whether the body feels it "rules some kind of empire and would not allow anyone to enter".

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The Supreme Court on Monday slammed a make-up artists association for not enrolling women despite its order observing whether the body feels it "rules some kind of empire and would not allow anyone to enter".

A bench of justices Dipak Misra and P C Pant pulled up the Cine Costume Make-Up Artist & Hair Dressers Association for not granting membership to outsiders by "adopting one excuse or the other". "We are constrained to repeat at the cost of repetition that the Cine Costume Make-Up Artist & Hair Dressers Association is bent upon not granting the membership adopting one excuse or the other. "Possibly they feel that they rule some kind of empire and they would not allow anyone to enter. This kind of obstinacy speaks eloquently about the attitude and we do not appreciate the said attitude of the office bearers of the Association and we are sure that wisdom will dawn on them and they will extend the benefit of membership to the petitioners within a week hence," the bench said.

The apex court cautioned the body saying, "it was harbouring a feeling that they intend to overreach the court which is inconceivable in law, and not appreciated." The court last November put an end to a 59-year-old practice in Bollywood that puts restrictions on them from pursuing the profession in the film industry, saying such "shocking" discrimination on the basis of gender is violative of constitutional values. Holding that harassment of women in the 21st century is "inconceivable and impermissible", the apex court had struck down the provision putting restriction on women make-up artists and hair dressers in the film industry.

It had also held as unconstitutional a provision that makes it mandatory to have a five-year domicile of Maharashtra for becoming a registered make-up artist and hair-dresser in Bollywood. It had said that there is no "rationality' in such kind of discrimination and directed the Cine Costume and Make-up Artist Association (Mumbai) to delete the provisions within 10 days. 

The court was hearing a PIL filed by Charu Khurana and other women make-up artists who alleged that they are not allowed to be members of the association and one cannot work in the industry without being registered with the association.

"As per the by-laws of all these unions and federations, make-up artists, hair dressers, etc, are required to register themselves with their respective union like the Cine Costume and Make-up Artist and Hair Dresser Association (CCMAA). "Only a member of these associations is allowed to work as a make-up artist in the production unit in the cine industry. These federations and affiliated unions ensure that no non-member works in the production unit," she had contended.

She had submitted that such provisions are wholly discriminatory practice depriving women make-up artists of their fundamental right to work and earn their livelihood guaranteed by the Constitution.
Khurana qualified from the Cinema Make-up School, California, but her application for membership was rejected by the CCMAA in 2009 because she is a woman, she claimed.

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