Decide Death Row Convict Balwant Singh Rajoana's Mercy Plea By Jan 25, Supreme Court Asks Centre

The Supreme Court on Friday asked the Central Government to submit the recommendations to the President regarding the mercy plea of death row convict Balwant Singh Rajoana by January 25.

A bench headed by CJI SA Bobde said this while hearing a writ petition filed by Balwant Singh seeking commutation of his death penalty on the ground that his mercy petition had been pending for the past eight years.

Balwant Singh Rajoana was sentenced to death for the murder of former Punjab chief minister Beant Singh in a bomb explosion in Chandigarh on August 31, 1995.

Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for Rajoana, submitted that the the petitioner has been in custody for nearly 25 years and that his mercy plea before the President has been kept undecided for over eight years.

Therefore, Rajoana is entitled to commutation of death penalty as per the SC decisions in Shatrughan Chouhan and Sriharan cases on account of delay in deciding the mercy petition.

Additional Solicitor General K.M. Nataraj, appearing for the Union Government, sought for adjournment submitting that the mercy plea file was being processed and had been submitted before the competent authority within the government.

Rohatgi submitted that the ASG's submissions were 'irrelevant' as Balwant Singh was entitled to commutation of death penalty on the sole ground of long pendency of his mercy plea.

CJI then told Rohatgi that a few more weeks time will not make much difference.

"January 26 is a good day to take a decision", CJI commented in a lighter vein.

"Since there is no Chief Guest for the Republic Day function, they should not be having any difficulty in deciding", Rohatgi added, referring to the withdrawal of UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson from this year's Republic Day function on account of COVID-19 restrictions.