The Supreme Court has given the Union government an ultimatum to make a decision on Balwant Singh Rajoana's mercy petition. If the government does not decide soon, the Court will review the petition itself.
Rajoana was sentenced to death for his role in the Beant Singh assassination case. He is requesting a reduction in his sentence due to the delay in addressing his mercy petition, which has been pending with the President of India since 2012.
The Court’s decision comes after a special bench of Justices B.R. Gavai, Prashant Kumar Mishra, and KV Viswanathan directed the President to decide on the mercy petition within two weeks in November 2024. If the President does not act, the Court will consider Rajoana’s request for commutation.
During a hearing, Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi, who represents Rajoana, informed the Court that no progress had been made since the last hearing, where the Union government was asked to respond to the plea.
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Previously, in November 2024, the Supreme Court had given the Union government four weeks to respond to Rajoana’s long-pending mercy petition. The matter is now scheduled for a hearing on March 18.
Rajoana has been in prison for 29 years and on death row for 12 years. He spent 12 years in solitary confinement. In 2010, the Punjab and Haryana High Court upheld his death sentence. However, his execution was postponed in 2012 after the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee filed a mercy petition on his behalf.
Since then, no decision has been made, with the government citing national security concerns and the political situation in Punjab as reasons for the delay.
Also Read: SC grants govt 4 weeks to decide Rajoana's mercy plea
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