NEW DELHI, Apr 22 (Agencies): Justice Jagdish Sharan Verma, who headed the anti-rape law panel, passed away on Monday.
Justice JS Verma died due to multiple organ failure. He was 80 years old.
Justice JS Verma, a former Chief Justice of India, was approached by the central government to head the panel which was set up to recommend measures to improve laws dealing with sexual offences.The other members of the panel were former Himachal Pradesh Chief Justice Leila Seth and former solicitor general Gopal Subramaniam. The Verma panel submitted its report in January 2013.
The new anti-rape law later passed by Parliament in March incorporates some of the recommendations made by the Justice Verma Commission. The panel of Justice Verma, Justice Leila Seth and Gopal Subramaniam was set up in the aftermath of the December 16 gang-rape of a medical student in Delhi last year.
The Verma Commission put together its report in just 29 days. Justice Verma had urged the government to match his team`s commitment by implementing the changes urgently. While submitting the report, Justice JS Verma had said the failure of governance was the root cause of crime against women. He also said it was “equally shocking” that there was total apathy of everyone who had a duty to perform.