Sir — The Supreme Court has said that the death sentence of a condemned prisoner can be commuted to life imprisonment if there are inordinate delays in deciding mercy petitions. It has overruled its own verdict in the case of Khalistani terrorist Devinder Pal Singh Bhullar, in which it had held that delay in deciding a mercy plea cannot be a ground for commutation.
The Government must ensure that mercy pleas are disposed of in a timely fashion, and not be left to linger for political or other considerations. It would be unfair to the victims of the crime if the criminal is allowed to escape the noose merely because the Government drags its feet on deciding the convict’s mercy petition.
While the court cannot obviously direct the President to take a call within a known time-frame, the Government can surely ensure that such pleas which the President forwards to it, is returned to him promptly. It would be a good idea if the Government sets for itself a deadline and sticks to it.