The Delhi rapists may not face death sentence. Justice Varma Committee recommended that in rape and death cases, death sentence need not be resorted to. It however said the prison sentence should be increased to 20 years and the legislations should be amended accordingly.

Justice Verma said that the Committee had not suggested death penalty for rapist because there were overwhelming suggestions from the women organisations against it. The committee also did not favour chemical castration of the rapists as the Indian constitution does not permit mutilation of the human body. The Committee suggested that several sections of the Penal Code should be amended and every marriage should be registered. 

It may be recalled that the union government appointed a three-member committee in the wake of the Delhi gang rape under Supreme Court former Chief Justice J S Varma, to suggest changes to the existing laws to prevent violence against women. The committee gave its report containing 630 pages to the union home ministry on Wednesday.

Referring to the fact that passers by had not helped the Delhi rape victim and her friend, the committee said that there should be a change in the perception of citizens about their responsibilities and expressed the view that only then the attitude of the police also would improve. Faulting the negligence of the Delhi police, the committee suggested that police should register every complaint of rape.