Supreme Court to Rehear Case Under Article 32, Sets New Precedent in Death Penalty Appeals

The Supreme Court invoked Article 32 to reopen sentencing for death row convict Vasant Sampat Dupare, citing procedural safeguards breach. The court emphasized the necessity of following guidelines from the Manoj vs Madhya Pradesh case, while ensuring fair trial rights, but warned against routine reopening of concluded cases.

The Supreme Court has exercised its power under Article 32 of the Constitution to revisit the sentencing of Vasant Sampat Dupare, a man convicted of a brutal crime in Nagpur over a decade ago. Convicted of raping and murdering a four-year-old girl, Dupare's case is set for rehearing due to a procedural oversight.

The bench, comprising Justices Vikram Nath, Sanjay Karol, and Sandeep Mehta, acknowledged that the guidelines established in the 2022 Manoj vs Madhya Pradesh judgement were not followed during Dupare's sentencing. These guidelines require courts to obtain psychiatric evaluations before imposing a death sentence.

While the Supreme Court reaffirmed Dupare's conviction, it set aside the previous stance on his sentencing. It underscored that the exceptional power of Article 32 should only be invoked in cases with significant procedural breaches affecting fundamental rights. The case will soon be placed before Chief Justice B R Gavai for fresh deliberation.

(With inputs from agencies.)