New Delhi: The Supreme Court has ruled against Balwant Singh Rajoana’s plea for commutation of his death penalty but has directed the Centre to decide on his mercy petition, which has been pending for a considerable period.
Rajoana, who was found guilty of assassinating former Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh, had sought relief, citing the delay in the Centre’s decision-making process. The court had reserved its verdict on March 2 and has now issued its ruling.
BR Gavai, the Justice who leads the Bench, said that “The competent authority…in time would again as in when they deem necessary to deal with mercy petition and take a decision. The writ petition is disposed of accordingly.”
The verdict on the mercy plea of Balwant Singh Rajoana, a convict in the assassination case of former Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh, has been reserved by a bench headed by Justice B.R. Gavai. The senior counsel Mukul Rohatgi, representing Rajaona, argued that keeping him on death row while sitting over his mercy plea for a long time violated his fundamental rights.
Interestingly, Rajoana has not challenged his conviction or sentence. The Supreme Court had pulled up the Centre in September last year for the delay in deciding the mercy petition filed on behalf of Rajoana, who has been in jail for 25 years awaiting his execution.