New Delhi, July 31

The verdict on the juvenile accused in the Dec 16 gang rape case is likely to be put on hold as the Supreme Court Wednesday fixed for Aug 14 its hearing on a petition on the legally defined age for a juvenile.

Janata Party chief Subramanian Swamy has petitioned the apex court, challenging the law fixing 18 as the age of juvenile, and the court Wednesday asked him to inform the Juvenile Justice Board that it will hear the petition Aug 14. 

Additional Solicitor General Siddharth Luthra told the apex court bench headed by Chief Justice P. Sathasivam that he would accordingly instruct the public prosecutor to inform the Juvenile Justice Board that it should not pronounce its verdict which is scheduled for Aug 5.

The court also said that it will examine the maintainability of Swamy's petition as ASG Luthra contended that there could not be any third party intervention in a criminal matter involving a state and an individual.

By: IANS