Jagdish Sharan Verma

Hon. Justice J. S. Verma
Justice Verma in 2011
27th Chief Justice of India
In office 25 March 1997 – 18 January 1998
Preceded by	A.M. Ahmadi
Succeeded by	M.M. Punchhi
Chairman, National Human Rights Commission
In office 4 November 1999 – 17 January 2003
Judge, Supreme Court of India
In office June 1989 - 24 March 1997
Chief Justice, Rajasthan High Court
In office September 1986 - June 1989
Chief Justice, Madhya Pradesh High Court
In office June 1985 - September 1986
Judge, Madhya Pradesh High Court
In office June 1972 - June 1985
Personal details
Born	18 January 1933 Satna, Central Provinces and Berar, British India
Died	22 April 2013 (aged 80) Gurgaon, Haryana, India
Nationality	Indian
Spouse(s)	Pushpa
Children	2
Alma mater	Allahabad University

Jagdish Sharan Verma (18 January 1933 – 22 April 2013) was an Indian jurist who served as the 27th Chief Justice of India from 25 March 1997 to 18 January 1998. Thereafter he was the Chairman of National Human Rights Commission from 1999 to 2003, and Chairman of the Justice Verma Committee Report on Amendments to Criminal Law after the 2012 Delhi gang rape case. He remains one of India's most highly regarded Chief Justices and eminent jurists.

He is known for his judicial innovation through landmark judgements, which made him "the face of judicial activism" in India. His decisions are credited with the forging of powerful new judicial tools such as Continuing Mandamus, and the expanded protection of fundamental rights as in the Vishaka Judgement. Alongside judicial activism and fundamental rights protection, he is strongly associated with women's empowerment, probity in public life, judicial accountability, as well as enhancing social justice.

Jagdish Sharan Verma was born in Satna, Madhya Pradesh. He was one of 7 brothers and 3 sisters. He completed his early education at Venkat High School, Satna, followed by Government Jubilee Inter College, Lucknow. He gained both B.Sc and LL.B from the University of Allahabad.

He had two daughters with his wife, Pushpa.

Verma began his legal career in 1955, and was appointed as a Judge of Madhya Pradesh High Court in June 1972. In the following year he delivered a judgement arguing that a juvenile convicted of murder ought to be tried under separate procedures to an adult. This went on to form the basis for the 1986 Juvenile Justice Act.