Certainty of punishment deters crime: Justice Venkatachaliah

BANGALORE: It is not severity of sentence but certainty of punishment that deters crime, said former Chief Justice of India M N Venkatachaliah.

Former Chairperson of National Human Rights Commission, who is presently serving on the advisory board for Foundation of Restoration of National Values, Justice Venkatachaliah said "it is not the severity of sentence which could be death or lifer but certainty of punishment that will instill the mortal fear in the offenders and deter crime".

An offender often matures from being an eve teaser to a rapist because of the sense of impunity that he enjoys, he said today while inaugurating a one-day workshop on 'Crimes against Women'.

He called for increased number of fast track courts across the country to try such cases and asserted the need for "speedy trial but not at the cost of the victim".

Justice Venkatachaliah recalled that during his tenure as the Chairperson of NHRC, he had examined 60,000 complaints of abuse by the authorities.

He said police investigation in such cases "must not only be absolutely honest but under the strict supervision of higher officers. There should be no political interference".

He said 30 per cent of reservation of women in all apex bodies will bring about a positive chain reaction.

Reflecting on the increasing crime against women in the context of recent gangrape in Delhi, Justice Venkatachaliah admitted that it was a "systemic failure. It is a collapse of governments in all areas, it is a collapse of judiciary".