Supreme Court Holds Order Which Set Deadline On Balwant Singh's Mercy Plea After Solicitor General's Request

After an urgent mentioning made by the Solicitor General of India, the Supreme Court agreed to not upload the order which it passed this morning as per which the President was requested to take a decision on the mercy plea of death row convict Balwant Singh Rajoana within two weeks.

A special bench comprising Justice BR Gavai, Justice PK Mishra and Justice KV Viswanathan had dictated the order in the open court this morning. SG Tushar Mehta was not present then.

At 1 PM, before the bench comprising Justices Gavai and Viswanathan was about to rise for the lunch recess, SG Tushar Mehta mentioned the matter, requesting that it be heard on Friday. Apologizing for his absence in the morning session, SG said that the file is with the Home Ministry and not the President. Saying that there are "sensitivities" involved in the issue, SG Mehta requested that the order be not signed and uploaded.

SG said that he would get instructions from the Government and inform the bench on Friday or Monday. Justice Gavai agreed to post the matter on Monday and said, "we are not passing that order."

Balwant Singh, who was sentenced to death for the 1995 assassination of the then Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh, has filed a writ petition in the Supreme Court seeking release citing "inordinate" delay in deciding his mercy petition.