Supreme Court to Weigh in on Rajoana's Mercy Plea

The Supreme Court has deferred for two weeks the decision on death row convict Balwant Singh Rajoana's plea for commutation to a life sentence due to delays in his mercy petition. Rajoana, imprisoned for 29 years, was convicted for the 1995 assassination of Punjab's then-chief minister, Beant Singh.

The Supreme Court announced on Monday that it is prepared to consider the mercy petition of Balwant Singh Rajoana, on death row following his conviction for the 1995 assassination of Punjab's then-chief minister, Beant Singh, should the central government fail to make a decision.

Justices B R Gavai, P K Mishra, and K V Viswanathan have postponed the hearing on Rajoana's appeal for commuting his death sentence to life imprisonment for two weeks, pointing to the significant delay of 12 years in addressing the mercy petition, which remains with the president's office.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Centre, faced a directive from the bench to resolve the issue swiftly as the legal counsel, Mukul Rohatgi, underscored Rajoana's 29 years in custody. Rohatgi has requested a temporary release for Rajoana, emphasizing the prolonged wait for a decision on the mercy plea initiated by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee back in 2012.

(With inputs from agencies.)