New Delhi:
Former Chief Justice of India
Justice Jagdish Sharan Verma, who headed a three-member panel to examine laws on crimes against women, died today due to multiple organ failure. He was 80.
The former Chief Justice of India died at Gurgaon's Medanta Hospital.
"Justice Verma was admitted to the hospital on Friday with complaint of liver failure. He died at 9.30 pm of liver failure and bleeding in the stomach," Medanta's official spokesperson said.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh expressed his condolences on Justice Verma's death. "He was a man of vast understanding and knowledge of Law. He was respected for his pathbreaking judgements, his deep sensitivity to the concerns of the common man and commitment to public good," the Prime Minister said.
Justice Verma was the 27th Chief Justice of India from March 25, 1997 to January 18, 1998.
The new anti-rape law 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. Speaking to NDTV in January, Mr Verma said he typed the report with one finger as his pension did not allow him the luxury of hiring support staff. (
Read) Justice Verma had urged the government to match his team's commitment by implementing the changes urgently.
He was honoured at NDTV's Indian of the Year Awards on April 15 for fighting for justice for the Indian woman.