Urgent: Supreme Court Demands Swift Action on Balwant Singh Rajoana’s Mercy Petition by March 18 – A Crucial India News Update

The Supreme Court of India has given the central government a final deadline of March 18 to decide on the mercy petition of Balwant Singh Rajoana, who is on death row for the 1995 assassination of then Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh. A bench led by Justice B.R. Gavai warned that the court would move to evaluate the petition’s merits if no decision is reached. Rajoana, who has been imprisoned for nearly 29 years, is seeking commutation of his death sentence to life imprisonment, citing delays in the decision on his clemency plea.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Centre, highlighted the case’s sensitivity and requested an extension, noting the murder involved a sitting chief minister. The court had previously paused an order instructing the President’s Secretary to review Rajoana’s mercy petition, which has been under consideration since March 2012 when the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee filed it under Article 72 of the Constitution.

The Supreme Court’s insistence on a timeline underscores the urgency brought by the “inordinate delay” in decision-making. In prior rulings, the court has urged all authorities to expedite pending mercy petitions. Rajoana, sentenced to death in 2007, argues that this delay infringes on his rights and seeks a directive for his release on these grounds. The Centre’s decision, expected by March 18, remains crucial amid growing calls for procedural fairness and timely justice.

Original Source: https://indianexpress.com/article/india/balwant-singh-rajoana-punjab-cm-beant-singh-1995-assassination-case-petition-9788415/
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Publish Date: 2025-01-20 12:15:00