NCW welcomes death warrant to Nirbhaya convicts, underlines need for time-limit

National Commission for Women (NCW) chairperson Rekha Sharma on Tuesday welcomed Delhi court's decision to issue death warrant to all four convicts in the Nirbhaya gang-rape and murder case and said that it will act as a deterrent for others.

"NCW welcomes this decision. It will play the role of a deterrent in society. Several incidents have taken place since the year 2012. We were expecting a decline in the number of such brutal incidents after the verdict in Nirbhaya case. But the final decision took seven years," Sharma told ANI.

The NCW chief said that this will reinstate the faith of the people in the judiciary.

"The entire country had been waiting for this decision. This will reinstate the faith of the people in the judiciary that the courts are not only watching but are also taking actions," she said.

Sharma, however, said that delay in carrying out sentence should be avoided.

"I think there should be a time limit on these cases. These cases should be closed within six months. Seven years is too long. It entirely fails the larger purpose," she added.

A Delhi court on Tuesday issued a death warrant against all four convicts in the case. They are scheduled to be hanged at 7 am on January 22.

The case pertains to the gang-rape of a 23-year-old woman by six persons on a moving bus in the national capital on the night of December 16, 2012. The victim had later died while undergoing treatment.

While the main accused, Ram Singh, allegedly committed suicide in Tihar Jail during the trial, another accused was a minor at the time of the commission of the crime and was sent to a reform facility and released after three years.