JUDGMENT

Dipak Misra, J.

The present writ petition preferred under Article 32 of the Constitution of India, exposes with luminosity the prevalence of gender inequality in the film industry, which compels one to contemplate whether the fundamental conception of gender empowerment and gender justice have been actualised despite number of legislations and progressive outlook in society or behind the liberal exterior, there is a façade which gets uncurtained on apposite discernment. The stubbornness of the 5th respondent, Cine Costume Make-up Artists and Hair Dressers Association (for short, “Association”) of Mumbai, as is manifest, thought it appropriate to maintain its pertinacity, possibly being determined not to give an inch to the petitioners who are qualified make-up artists by allowing them to become make-up artists as members of the Association on two grounds, namely, they are women and have not remained in the State of Maharashtra for a span of five years. The first ground indubitably offends the concept of gender justice. As it appears though there has been formal removal of institutionalized discrimination, yet the mindset and the attitude ingrained in the subconscious have