SC notice to Centre on PIL seeking implementation of Justice J S Verma committee report

The Supreme Court Monday asked the Centre to respond to a plea filed by a law student seeking implementation of Justice J S Verma committee report on various aspects of crime against women and children.

A bench, comprising Chief Justice S A Bobde and Justices B R Gavai and Surya Kant, issued notices to the ministries of home, human resource development, law and others while tagging the petition with another matter on the same issue.

The apex court was hearing a plea filed by law student B Srinivas Goud seeking directions for the implementation of Justice J S Verma committee report and taking steps after considering the report "Magnitude of Substance use in India for 2019" published by Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.

The report was submitted to the then Prime Minister of India on January 23, 2013 on various aspects of crime against women and children.

The committee was formed after the Nirbhaya rape and murder incident in the national capital in December, 2012 to suggest various measures on check increasing crimes against women.

The petition, filed through advocate Ramaswami Balaji, said that it is "unfortunate that though the report was submitted on January 23, 2013 to the Union of India, majority recommendations of the committee were not implemented even after passage of seven long years. This has resulted unrest among citizens of the country more particularly victims/parents of rape and sexual harassment".

Goud said the increase in rape and sexual harassment incidents across the country and delay in punishing the culprits has been motivating the "Instant Justice" concept which has allegedly resulted the killing of four rape accused persons in Hyderabad by the police in the name of encounter.

"Except few recommendations, majority of the recommendations of Justice J S Verma committee were not implemented. That due to non implementation of the recommendations of the report, the much needed changes/reforms in providing justice to the rape and sexual assault victims and preventive measures could not realised," the plea said.

The PIL has also sought directions to "ban, restrict circulation of pornography and other provocative content in social media, Television, movies and internet etc and utilisation of 'Nirbhaya Fund' for providing safety, welfare measures for women".