NewDelhi: 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 Gurgaons 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,” Medantas official spokesperson said.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh expressed his condolences on Justice Vermas 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.
(with ndtv inputs)