Sir — This refers to the editorial, “The perils of prevarication” (January 22). The commutation of death sentence by the Supreme Court of four Veerappan aides on the ground that the mercy petition was inordinately delayed is an indictment of the tardy functioning of the Government.
The judgement also comes as boon to the people at the helm to delay the disposal of mercy petitions and save criminals from the gallows. Had Tuesday’s judgement come earlier, terrorist Mohammed Ajmal Kasab and Afzal Guru would have been saved, and posed a grave threat to the nation.