Amid the raging debate over the recommendations of Justice Verma Commission on modifications in legal provisions relating to rape and other forms of sexual assault, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has written to Justice JS Verma to assure him that the government would be “prompt in pursuing the recommendations”. There is, however, still no indication of how many of the recommendations the government would accept or the possible timeframe for their implementation.
Justice Verma Committee in a huddle. PTI
“I am writing to thank you, Justice Leila Seth and Shri Gopal Subramanian for your labour of love in completing the work of the Committee our government had constituted to recommend amendments in Law to be able to deal effectively with cases of sexual assault of extreme nature against women. That the Committee submitted its report within a short period of 30 days is testimony to your commitment and concern for the public good. On behalf of our government, I assure you that we will be prompt in pursuing the recommendations of the Committee,” the prime minister wrote in his brief letter to Justice Verma.
The government is considering calling an all-party meeting ahead of the budget session to discuss the report as it would require a broader political consensus to make amendments in the IPC and CrPC. Given the current equations between the ruling Congress and main opposition party, the BJP, building a consensus may not be an easy task for the government. But given the public sensitivity over the Delhi rape case, both sides may yield a bit.
Firstpost had reported earlier how the Justice Verma Committee report was quietly removed from the ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) official website mha.nic.in. The move had raised several questions as to the intention of the ministry.
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